HANAMA‘ULU — Work on restoring a neglected cemetery, solar power on a remote island and efforts to become environmentally friendly were worthy of awards recently. Peter Rayno, a longtime supporter and volunteer with the restoration of the old Hanama‘ulu graveyard,
HANAMA‘ULU — Work on restoring a neglected cemetery, solar power on a remote island and efforts to become environmentally friendly were worthy of awards recently.
Peter Rayno, a longtime supporter and volunteer with the restoration of the old Hanama‘ulu graveyard, was one of three Kaua‘i residents to receive Laulima awards, said Bernard Carvalho of the county’s Office of Community Assistance.
Carvalho said the Laulima awards are part of a nationwide program for keeping America clean and green.
Rayno, along with Glenn Sato, of the county’s Office of Economic Development, and Doug Sears, general manager of the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa, were nominated by Kaua‘i Mayor Bryan Baptiste as part of the national program.
Baptiste’s nominations were joined by nominations from the mayors of the other Hawai‘i counties as well as from cities and towns across the nation.
Hawai‘i’s celebration took place last Thursday at the Ala Moana Hotel where the recipients received their awards at a special luncheon ceremony.
“Mayor Baptiste was supposed to present the awards, but he couldn’t make it, so I represented the county,” said Carvalho, who was helping at the Hanama‘ulu Beach Park community work day.
Each of the recipients represented community service, government and business, Carvalho said.
Peter’s work with getting the Hanama‘ulu graveyard back to where relatives of those buried there can visit safely was instrumental in getting the community service award, Carvalho said.
Through the months that Rayno has spearheaded a group of Hanama‘ulu volunteers and community organizations, Grove Farm has provided materials to erect a small shed which will offer visitors to the graveyard a place to rest as well as seek shelter in the event of rain.
His efforts have more recently involved Stan Morinaka and volunteers from the Veterans Express Company who donated the services of two semitrailers and earth-moving equipment to clear away overgrowth from the access road to the graveyard.
Sato’s efforts at securing funding and making the installation of solar power at a Ni‘ihau school earned him the award for the government sector, and Sears’ efforts at starting up a recycling program involving guests at the Grand Hyatt was instrumental in his award for the business sector.
Carvalho added that not only did Sears start a guest recycling program, he was instrumental in getting the resort involved in major renovations enabling the Po‘ipu property to become more environmentally friendly.
One of those initiatives included switching from conventional lamps to compact fluorescent lamps to reduce energy consumption, and the Grand Hyatt was recognized for its greening efforts with a special business award earlier.
But Rayno is not stopping with just restoring the graveyard which was turned over to the county after the closing of the Lihu‘e Plantation.
He was part of the Hanama‘ulu Neighborhood Association’s community work day to help spruce up the Hanama‘ulu Beach Park after it was closed down several weeks ago so the county could do major cleaning at the popular gathering spot.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com
