FLWRHI.ORG
A Note from the President
This Fall finds the Friends of the Library – Waikōloa Region as active as ever. Our monthly programs continue to bring people together, and each new event shows the range of interests and talent in our community. In October, for example, we hosted a Program from Ke Kai Ola, the Hospital for Hawaiian monk seals rescue — just one of several diverse offerings on the calendar. If you attended we appreciate it. Carmelita Villalobos shared a wealth of information on our Hawai'i Islands endangered monk seals and what they are doing to help rescue them.
These programs don’t happen on their own. They rely on volunteers who welcome guests, help with setup, manage publicity, and keep our efforts running smoothly. As we look ahead, there will be even more opportunities to step in — whether at special events, with fundraising, or in support of the new Waikōloa Library project.
Volunteering is more than lending a hand. It’s a way to feel part of a community rather than just a resident. Whether with the Friends of the Library, the Monk Seal Rescue program, the hospital, the Master Gardeners’ annual garden tour, or the Lions Club — there’s a place for every interest. Giving time connects you with others, builds friendships, and leaves a lasting impact.
Thank you for your continued support. I hope you’ll join us at an upcoming event and consider lending a hand along the way.
— Michael Gaston, President
Monk Seal Rescue: Caring for Hawaiʻi’s Endangered Native Seal
The Friends of the Library – Waikōloa Region (FLWR) welcomed Carmelita Villalobos from Ke Kai Ola, The Marine Mammal Center’s hospital for Hawaiian monk seals in Kailua-Kona for a talk story on this free program. They offered us a behind-the-scenes look at how endangered monk seals are rescued and rehabilitated, tips for what to do if you see a seal on local beaches, and how volunteers help protect both people and seals. Carmelita and our Board member, David Giff, who also volunteers with this program for rescuing monk seals were both very informative and showed us a lot of good information on rescue and research for our Hawaiian Ocean life.
About Ke Kai Ola
Ke Kai Ola (“The Healing Sea”) is the only hospital dedicated to the care of Hawaiian monk seals, one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world. Operated by The Marine Mammal Center, it provides medical care,
trains volunteers, responds to seal sightings, and offers education programs to support recovery of the species. They
are looking for volunteers so check them out at the below link.
https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/science-conservation/conservation/hawaiian-monk-seal-conservation
They are also going to be starting tours the 1st Saturday of
every month at 10, 11 and 12 noon.
Come out and take the tour and learn about volunteering.
Friends of the Library's 2026 5K Walk/Run for Literacy
February 7, 2026
Save the date!
Friends of the Library-Waikoloa Region will be holding our 5K Walk/Run for Literacy on, Saturday
February 7th, 2026 at the Waikoloa Plaza. We will have a silent auction at Kohala Coffee and we will be
concentrating on items featuring local artists and crafters along with experiences. We are looking
for sponsors, artists and crafters now. So if you'd like to donate an art or craft piece or be a sponsor we'd
Love to hear from you.
Please contact us at 2026walkrunfeb7@gmail.com.
Friends of the Library-Waikoloa Region
2026 5K Walk/Run for Literacy
Waikoloa Plaza, Waikoloa Village
There will be games for the keiki, a silent auction, a raffle. Medals awarded.
Check out the QR Code ------->
T-shirts guaranteed if register prior to January 15.
Mark Your Calendar! Register Today!
Waikoloa Reads
Please join us for FREE "Drop-Everything-and-Read!" gatherings! For all ages -- keiki through kupuna.
November 8th and 22nd from 3:30-4:45pm @ Kohala Coffee Company at the Waikōloa Plaza - The 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month.
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Meet other readers -- without the commitment of a traditional book club.
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Enjoy unplugged downtime.
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Celebrate reading with family and friends.
"When we read together, we connect. Together, we see the world. Together, we see each other."
- author Kate DiCamillo
BYOBooks or whatever you're reading, or borrow from our book collection.
Feel free to RSVP or just drop by! BigIslandReads@gmail.com
More info: https://linktr.ee/BigIslandReads
A collaborative project by Hawai'i Community College @ Pālamanui and Friends of the Library - Waikōloa.
Heluhelu Quiz Bowl
Big Island Quiz Bowl - Announcing the Fifth Annual
We are pleased to announce the 2025-2026 Big Island Heluhelu Quiz Bowl will be held on April 16, 2026 at the Kahilu Town Hall in Waimea. Registration begins at 8:30, competition to begin at 9:30. The event is open to teams of 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, and 7th grade readers or any combination of those grade level readers. Any school, public or private, any library, or any homeschool group may sign up for this competition. An organization may enter two teams.
The event consists of teams reading 30 books over the year and then competing to see which team can answer the most questions about those books correctly. You can find a link to the list of books for this event as well as a summaries sheet at www.flwrhi.org. The books selected are a blend of American Library Association Medal and Honor winners, and the Hawaiʻi State Public Librariesʻ Nēnē Award books, as well as some highly reviewed titles chosen by the steering committee.
Please respond at bihquizbowl@gmail.com to indicate your interest in the event. More information will be forthcoming over the 2025-2026 school year.
Books and a Beverage
by Lisa Holt
Books
Book: The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
If you love a good whodunit, this is the book for you. Ruth Ware’s ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ hits all the marks: suspense, a compelling protagonist, a slew of potential suspects, and no escape. If you love Agatha Christie’s books, then this book will give you that comfy feeling of settling into a good book. Ruth Ware is known as the Australian Agatha Christie, and she has developed a trilogy of books in this series that can be read separately or as a group.
There is a Netflix adaptation out now which you can watch, but per the usual, the book is much better. We start with Travel Writer Lo Blacklock who has been given an amazing assignment to spend one week on a exclusive cruise ship with a handful of cabins to voyage the North Sea. What begins as an adventure on the ship, Aurora, quickly turns into a nightmare for Lo when she witnesses a woman that she briefly encountered in Cabin 10 being thrown overboard during the night. When she notifies the appropriate authorities, she is told that all passengers remain accounted for and there was no one in Cabin 10. Despite her frantic pleas, the ship goes on as if nothing has happened.
This whodunit will leave you gasping at surprising twists, a sense of urgency, and the uncomfortable feeling of claustrophobia being stuck on a ship in the windy, cold North Sea with no way of getting help.
Beverage
For a cooling beverage to stave off the sweltering heat of the desert, the beverage for this month will be:
DARK AND STORMY
For today’s beverage, I thought it only appropriate to provide the recipe for a Dark and Stormy.
Ingredients:
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2 ounces spiced rum
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1/2 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
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Ginger beer, to top (about 5 ounces)
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Garnish: lime wheel
Steps:
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Add rum and lime juice to a tall glass filled with ice.
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Top with ginger beer.
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Garnish with a lime wheel
Bookmobile Notes
SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, October 25th from 10 - noon will be our Halloween Keiki Party. We will be decorating pumpkins (foam ones) and of course there will be treats. Hope to see you there.
Heartfelt Mahalo to Our Amazing Volunteers!
We extend our deepest gratitude to our incredible volunteers! Your dedication and hard work are the backbone of our bookmobile's success. In September you contributed an amazing 59 hours. If you're passionate about giving back to the community, we'd love to have you join our team. We ask for just an hour or two per week, ideally on the same day each week. If you're interested in volunteering or have any questions, please contact us at bookmobile@flwrhi.org.
Book Donation Reminders
A huge thank you to everyone who has generously donated books! To ensure our collection remains current and appealing, please remember these guidelines:
● Age: Donations should be less than 10 years old.
● Condition: Books must be in good condition.
● Excluded Items: We cannot accept textbooks or magazines.
● Accepted Items: Audiobooks and DVDs are welcome (please ensure all discs are included). CDs are not accepted.
● Drop-off: Please leave donations directly in the bookmobile or with a volunteer, NOT OUTSIDE.
● Supervision: 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
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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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