The Kaua‘i Sovereign Volunteers Award — given by the Arius Hopman Gallery for outstanding community service — goes to the many unsung heroes who volunteered to restore the road to Polihale last year, according to a press release. Coordinators Bruce
The Kaua‘i Sovereign Volunteers Award — given by the Arius Hopman Gallery for outstanding community service — goes to the many unsung heroes who volunteered to restore the road to Polihale last year, according to a press release. Coordinators Bruce Pleas and Nick Prieto both received a fine art canvas from the gallery as a token to the whole volunteer work group.
The volunteers acted as sovereign individuals and the project began with a meeting of interested parties, which began the process of organizing and networking to get Polihale open for the people of Kaua‘i.
Companies offered heavy equipment and time. Among the machinery used were skid loaders, a track loader, a backhoe, excavator, crane, road grader, welding equipment, water truck and a dump truck, the release says.
Nick Prieto Construction assembled a water truck out of a giant water bladder. And as an example of voluntary dollar outlay, Prieto’s company ended up spending around $50,000 on this project, with many of the other companies spending similar amounts.
Goodfellow Bros. donated the grader and water truck to finish the Polihale road for local traffic and Martin Steel donated all of the steel work to repair the bridges and bring them up to State safety standards (they were later inspected and certified).
Other volunteers include, but are not limited to: Andrew Johnston, David Tsuchia, Greg Holtzman, Mike Joseph, Myron Lindsey, Rick Haviland, Rodney Baptiste, Ryan Ell, Troy Martin and Val Badua. Companies participating include: Bacon Universal Equipment Rental, Goodfellow Bro’s., J & R Welding and Equipment, Kaua’i Veteran’s Express, Martin Steel, Myron Lindsey Constr., Nick Prieto Constr., R. B. Concrete & Masonry, Ron Agor Architect. The local food establishments who catered food for the volunteers include: Wrangler Restaurant, Ishihara Market, Da Booze Shop, Kalaheo Coffee Company and Café, Waimea Brew Pub, Waimea Subway and numerous local residents. The Sierra Club/Surfrider volunteers collected around two tons of garbage that was removed from the Park at the end of the project.
Even though DLNR estimated $2 million and two years to complete the repairs, and the volunteers did it for $500-700,000 and in only six weeks, the release says
Sovereign volunteers are those who see a need and are self-motivated to respond.
This is the third award provided by the gallery. The first award was given to the nine people who were most influential in preserving the Hanalei Bridge and River, thereby protected the whole north-west shore from over-development. The second was awarded to sovereign volunteer Karen Diamond who has devoted countless weeks to protecting beaches and upholding coastal laws.
