LIHU‘E — Tickets went on sale this week for the Kaua‘i Lifeguard Association’s 2nd Wave Campaign. The highlight of the fundraising campaign is a Hawai‘i Superstar Sunday concert at Kilohana Oct. 7, starring Willie K and his band, Henry Kapono
LIHU‘E — Tickets went on sale this week for the Kaua‘i Lifeguard Association’s 2nd Wave Campaign.
The highlight of the fundraising campaign is a Hawai‘i Superstar Sunday concert at Kilohana Oct. 7, starring Willie K and his band, Henry Kapono and his band, Kalapana, John Cruz and special friends plus the comic hit of last year’s show, Andy Bumatai. There will be a live auction, silent auction and food service from the Kaiola Canoe Club, according to a news release.
General admission tickets to the concert, which will run from 3 to 9:30 p.m., are $60 and are available at all Times Big Save markets on Kaua‘i and online at www.kauailifeguards.org.
There are a few remaining VIP reserved tables for 10 as well as a handful of platinum tables for 10 available by calling Kilohana at 245-5608. Tickets will also be given away on KONG Radio 93.5 FM and 570 AM throughout the summer.
Support funding is being raised by sales of prize donor tickets through island Rotary Clubs with a grand prize being a trip for four to any of the 90 destinations Alaska Airlines flies, plus $2,000.
In addition, a tide calendar — filled with information and safety tips and action photography donated by Kaua‘i residents — will be sold for $10 at all Times Big Save markets later this month.
The fundraisers are all part of the 2nd Wave Campaign, a partnership of the Kaua‘i Lifeguard Association and Ocean Safety Bureau.
“We have already realized a significant reduction in drownings and numbers of necessary rescues compared to just a few years ago,” said Chief Bob Westerman, who oversees both the Fire and Ocean Safety Bureau for Kaua‘i.
With 15 drownings annually just a few short years ago, the challenge was there, the release states.
“We knew we had one of the finest training programs and qualified life savers on duty at 10 key locations around the island,” added Kalani Vierra, Kaua‘i’s Ocean Safety Bureau director. “The next step was to increase the number of power-equipped vehicles followed by a strong media and communications program that brought ocean safety and awareness to the forefront.”
Thanks to community support, last year’s First Wave campaign did just that. The money raised equipped every lifeguard tower with either a Jet Ski or an ATV.
Monty Downs, KLA’s president, said, “Reacting to the continued needs of rescue was not enough. If we educate the public and prepare them for their next trip to the beach, the program becomes a pro-active preventative campaign that actually educates the visitor and resident to precautions. Hence the beginning of a 2nd Wave campaign, and the multi-tiered effort is paying off big time.”
Andy Melamed, along with input from the County of Kaua‘i and KLA, devised the 2nd Wave geared toward prevention and publicized ocean safety measure with the help of KONG Radio, Wala‘au and The Garden Island.
Melamed also outlined a program geared toward prevention. He said, “Funding from the 2nd Wave will create beach and ocean safety signs for specific beaches. This year, the focus will be at various locales where we know hazards need to be illustrated, and Winston Welborn has done an exemplary job in creating such initially for Waiohai Beach. The signs will be weather-proofed, easy to read and understand and placed in kiosks for longevity. Community-minded sponsors have made donations for up to six signs thus far as part of the 2nd Wave.”
The campaign, however, went further.
A new ocean safety video will focus on where lifeguard towers are, how to use rescue tubes and what to do when you find yourself in a dangerous current. The video will be made accessible to resorts and will run on KVIC’s visitor channel and on local television with Dickie Chang’s Wala‘au.
A plan to once again have the video shown at the airport luggage terminal is also being explored, and an attempt will be made to have the video airing on all Mainland flights flying directly into Kaua‘i.
Rescue tubes play an important part in helping to save lives, according to KLA officials. In fact, close to 20 documented life-saving cases have been reported since its inception on Kaua‘i. The 2nd Wave will assist in the maintenance or replacement of the more than 190 tubes on display.
Programs that support educating visitors and residents on ocean safety will benefit from the 2nd Wave, such as Pat Durkin’s Wave Project, which assists resorts wishing to offer front desk and concierge beach safety training to share with visitors upon check in, and beach seminars hosted by Kaua‘i Beach Guardians.
“Prevention can also be addressed through preparation,” Melamed said. “In this case, we plan to support many of the ocean-related programs that encourage experiences in the ocean as a recreation or even competition. Thus, money raised will also go toward events that encourage interaction with the ocean. These include Garden Island Canoe Racing Association, the Hawai‘i Surfing Federation, Kaua‘i’s swim clubs, the Na Pali stand-up paddle race, the keiki and junior lifeguard programs as well as KORE.”
