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• Kaua‘i Made supports local business • Furlough Friday Force ‘sweats’ for school • Hard work, not school, matters most

Kaua‘i Made supports local business

Hooray to Bud Paxman (“Kaua‘i Made a great program,” Sept. 1), for his response to Rolf Bieber’s letter to TGI on Sunday 8/29 (“Mayor’s Aloha Garden: salad campaign”). Here’s my two-cents’ worth.

When I first read about the Kaua‘i Made program in January, 2006, I thought to myself “Finally, a government program I can actually put my arms around!” Although I had already been an established business for a number of years, I saw big benefits to this program, so I enthusiastically applied and was accepted as one of its first members.  Since then, the program has grown and flourished and has provided promotional opportunities for over 100 of Kaua‘i’s product makers and the retail stores that sell their products. In addition, the Kaua‘i Made program has partnered with other entities such as the Kaua‘i Farm Bureau and the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau to further spread the word about our locally made products. Beth Tokioka and her staff have worked (and continue to work) tirelessly on this program and I’m sure our membership would agree that we all owe her and our former mayor, the late Bryan Baptiste, a big debt of gratitude.

During this (and every other) election year I hear all the candidates promise to champion the cause of the “little guy.” By giving our small businesses another avenue in which to promote their products, so they can sell them and contribute to our government’s tax base, the Kaua‘i Made program does just that!  

Mr. Bieber, the Kaua‘i Made program is not “propping itself up,” as you say. It’s being supported — BIG difference. It’s being supported by its members, our island’s visitors and everyone else that “buys local.” The program is still very much alive and well, I can assure you.

I encourage everyone to check out Kaua‘i Made’s website, www.kauaimade.net. I’m sure you’ll be proud at the depth of talent on our island. The program also publishes an Official Shopping Guide featuring the Kaua‘i Made program members. It is available at the Lihu‘e Airport, the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau office, the Office of Economic Development, among other places. I also always keep a supply at my shop in Waimea. Please stop by or call us (338-1296) and we’ll send you one. You may just find the perfect gift for the fast-approaching holiday season!

Lori Cardenas, owner, Aunty Liliko‘i Products, Waimea

Furlough Friday Force ‘sweats’ for school

If you’ve ever wondered if our government works, I’m here to tell you it not only works, it sweats, even without pay! I want to send out a big mahalo to the Mayor’s Furlough Friday Force (F3) for donating their time and hard work last Friday clearing weeds at Hanalei Elementary School garden.

Apparently, Mayor Carvalho has started a group of county workers who volunteer their time on days they are furloughed, to help out with community projects. Our wonderful Principal, Corey Nakamura, saw that the school garden needed help recovering from a summer’s worth of weeds, and applied to them for assistance. Together with our PTSA board members Melissa Hamai, Holly Chew, Teresa Lambden, Debbie Slater, and my husband Richard, the group transformed our garden so our students can get back to what they love: growing their own vegetables, herbs and fruit. As the volunteer garden teacher, I can’t thank them enough!

More importantly, the kids were amazed and so proud. They couldn’t believe that the mayor, Rep. Mina Morita, and all these other important people were working so hard in their garden! I hope you’ll print all their names, because they deserve the appreciation of us all. In addition to the mayor and his wife, Regina, and Rep. Mina Morita, they included: Imai Aiu, Ernie and Ernest Barreira, George Costa, Mike Dahilig, Kylan Dela Cruz, Donald Fujimoto, Ian Jung, Wallace Rezentes Jr., Kaui and Wayne Tanaka, Beth Tokioka, Art and Michiru Umezu, and Mercedes Youn. Mahalo nui loa!

Margaret Gill, Hanalei

Editor’s note: See the story and photos, A7.

Hard work, not school, matters most

As a current student with an interest in the upcoming gubernatorial election, I find the initial feedback towards the Hannemann campaign mailers bewildering. I received my mailer earlier in the week and as I read through the facts about the two candidates, nothing negative came to mind in reference to Hannemann’s Harvard education in contrast to Abercrombie’s University of Hawai‘i education.

I can attest to the quality of education that our UH system has to offer. 

The media’s spin upon the whole comparison between the candidates’ choice of academic institution actually prompted me to instead consider the diligence of former Mayor Hannemann both academically and socially to have worked so hard for the opportunity to attend Harvard University. 

How is it that we are bashing somebody for their hard work? Do we not normally praise such things?

Bryson Honjo, Kalaheo