FLWRHI.ORG
03/17/2025
Chapter Newsletter
Message from the President
March 20th Annual Meeting
Mark your calendars! The Friends of the Library – Waikōlua Region will hold its
Annual Meeting on Wednesday, March 20, in the Banquet Room. Join us at 1:00 PM for light snacks, with the meeting starting at 1:30 PM. While members will have the opportunity to vote on our slate of officers, all community members are encouraged to attend. Please RSVP to president@flwrhi.org.
We are honored to welcome State Librarian Stacey Aldridge, who will provide an update on the progress of the new Waikōlua Library. With funding secured and final designs in progress, this is a pivotal moment to reflect on our journey and recognize those who have made this project possible.
Additionally, we will host a special local history panel featuring our first two Friends presidents, Bette Green and Ruth Bernstone, alongside Vivian Green and former legislator Cindy Evans who were instrumental in forming the Friends. Their contributions have been invaluable, and we look forward to sharing the story of our library’s development.
We hope to see you there!
Volunteers Needed for the Program Committee
We’re forming a small committee to organize programs for the next 12 months. This past year, we hosted engaging events, including:
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Michaela Larson – Legends of Hawai‘i
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Dale Hope – Aloha Shirt
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Kathy Painton– Camp Tarawa
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Sara Ackerman – Author Talk
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Pete Hendricks – Shipwrecks and Landings
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Walt Dudley – Tsunamis
Interested in helping? Contact Michael Gaston at president@flwrhi.org!
Board Nominations
The Nominations Committee has finalized the proposed slate of officers and directors for the upcoming term. This year, we are pleased to welcome two new board members:
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Cindy Evans – A former legislator and County Council member, Cindy was instrumental in forming FLWR and securing funding for the Waikōlua Library.
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Jill McElroy – A dedicated volunteer on the bookmobile, Jill currently assists Donna with publicity and will take on the role of Publicity Chair.
Below is the complete list of board members, including those continuing their service and new nominations:
Name - Position - Term Ends - Status
Michael Gaston - President - 2026 - Continuing
Ruth Bernstone - Vice President - 2027 - Nomination
Florence Pike - Secretary - 2026 - Continuing
Donna Konie - Treasurer - 2027 - Nomination
Cindy Evans - Director - 2027 - Nomination
Cynthia Garcia - Director - 2027 - Nomination
David Giff - Director - 2027 - Nomination
Bette Green - Director - 2026 - Continuing
Jill McElroy - Director - 2026 - Appointed
Lee Morris - Director - 2026 - Continuing
Thank you to all our dedicated board members, past and present, for your commitment to the Friends and our mission. We look forward to another great year of service to the community!
Michael Gaston, President
president@flwr.org
5K Walk/Run for Literacy and Silent Auction
A Resounding Success! Thank You, Waikoloa!
We are absolutely thrilled to share the fantastic news from our recent Friends of the Library – Waikoloa Region 5K Fundraiser! Thanks to the incredible dedication and enthusiasm of our volunteers, sponsors, participants, and community, the event was an overwhelming success.
Highlights of the Day:
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Over $7,000 Raised! A huge portion of this came from the wildly successful Silent Auction.
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More than 20 Incredible Volunteers! Your hard work made everything possible.
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A Fun-Filled Day! We hope everyone who participated enjoyed the event as much as we did.
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Substantial Funds Raised! When combined with pre-event registrations and sponsorships, we've raised a significant amount to support vital library programs.
Making a Difference in Our Community:
These funds will directly benefit essential programs like:
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Baby’s First Book
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The Bookmobile
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The Quiz Bowl
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And other valuable community initiatives!
A Heartfelt Thank You:
We want to extend our deepest gratitude to the following individuals and organizations:
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Cynthia Garcia, Event Chair: Your leadership and vision were instrumental in the event's success.
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Abraham Go and Kohala Coffee Company, Our Primary Sponsor: Your generous support made this event possible.
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All Our Sponsors: Your contributions are deeply appreciated.
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Ruth Bernstone, Silent Auction Chair: Your efforts in organizing the auction were phenomenal.
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Donna Konie: You wore so many hats and your dedication was invaluable.
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All Our Volunteers: Your hard work and enthusiasm made the day run smoothly.
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All Our Participants: Thank you for your support and for coming out to make this day so special.
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Our Special Guests: Miss Kona Coffee, Maiana Taylor and Councilman James Hustace and his wife, Alexa.
We couldn't have done it without you!
We are truly grateful for the incredible support of our community. Your generosity will help us continue to provide valuable resources and programs to the Waikoloa region.
Looking Ahead:
We hope you enjoyed the 5K and we look forward to seeing you again next year! Stay tuned for updates on how your contributions are making a difference in our community.
5K Walk/Run for Literacy and Silent Auction
NEW! FREE "drop everything and read!" parties for readers of all ages! We had such an great time at our first two Waikoloa Reads get togethers . We hope you can join us on Saturday, Feb 8, Feb. 22, March 8 and March 22 @ 4:15-5:30 @ Kohala Coffee Company (in new shopping center). Families, teens, young adults, seniors! Mahalo to Kohala Coffee Company for hosting during their discounted "happy hour". A collaboration by Hawaiʻi Community College-Pālamanui and Friends of the Library-Waikoloa Region. Questions? Or let us know if youʻre coming: BigIslandReads@gmail.com
Books and a Beverage
Books
Pelican Girls, by Julia Malye
As it is Mardi Gras, I looked through my bookshelves for any recent books based in New Orleans. I skipped the James Lee Burke or Karen Rose noirs and Percival Everett best seller James - and instead chose this riveting story of hardship, pain, and friendship during the early colonial period of New Orleans and Louisiana. This book is a novel based upon a true story of a group of Frenchwomen of childbearing age who are shipped to Louisiana to help populate the area.
The story begins at at La Salpêtrière asylum hospital in Paris, where Charlotte, an orphan, Pétronille, a mute “madwoman” abandoned there by her wealthy family, and Geneviève, held at the asylum for being an accused abortionist, are chosen to join almost 100 other women aboard the ship La Baleine for the arduous journey across the Atlantic to a world completely unknown to them. The story follows these three as they encounter pirates, slavedrivers, sickness, and war. But they develop friendships that sustain them through these trials, as well as children born and lost, husbands among the colonists, heartbreak and unrequited love.
The book is intricately detailed and the plot carefully woven. Julia Malye has written an historical novel that illuminates a little known story of colonial America. Her characters will stick with you for their resilience and courage in the face of so many unknown challenges.
The book is available at the Waikōloa Bookmobile.
Beverage
Traditional Hurricane Recipe, courtesy of New Orleans tourism,
https://www.neworleans.com/drink/cocktails/hurricane/
2 oz. Light rum
2 oz. Dark rum
2 oz. Passion fruit juice
1 oz. Orange juice
1/2 oz. Fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon simple syrup
1 tablespoon grenadine
Garnish: orange slice and cherry
Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a hurricane glass filled with ice.
Garnish with a cheery and an orange slice.
Big Island Heluhelu Quiz Bowl
The Friends of the Library- Waikoloa Region is pleased to announce the 2024-25 event will be held on April 10, 2025 at Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi in Pahoa. We are currently working on all the details to make it an even better event than this yearʻs event. We have secured an award-winning author as Quiz Master, and we'll make that announcement soon. We are currently looking for a team captain for a Waikoloa team, whether from Waikoloa School or any home-school or other group.
Bookmobile Notes
We have to give a many mahalos to all our amazing volunteers! Your hard work and dedication keep the bookmobile running smoothly. We couldn't do it without you! In February the volunteers worked 127 hours. You couldn't find a more dedicated group of volunteers! If you are interested in giving back to the community, we are always looking for volunteers. It is an hour or two one day a week; we only ask that it be the same day as much as possible. If you would like to volunteer or if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at bookmobile@flwrhi.org
A big thank you to everyone who has donated books! As a reminder, please ensure that donations are less than 10 years old and in good condition. We cannot accept textbooks or magazines. Audiobooks and DVDs are welcome, but please make sure all discs are included. CDs are not accepted. Please leave donations in the bookmobile or with a volunteer, not outside. And remember, children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
- Donna Konie
Our new book acquisition will be placed in the Bookmobile. Look for this label on the book cover.
The bookmobile is open every day from 9am - 5pm (weather permitting)
Please return borrowed books to the donations bin inside the bookmobile.
Contact us at: bookmobile@flwrhi.org
GET THE LATEST UPDATES ON
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Waikoloa Library Updates
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Monthly Book and Beverage
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Bookmobile Notes
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Big Island Heluhelu Quiz Bowl
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Volunteers are Needed!
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FL-WR Board of Directors seeking new Director of Fundraising
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FL-WR Book Club Coordinator Needed
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If interested, please contact FL-WR Board President, Micheal Gaston at: president@flwrhi.org
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