Community Volunteer Spirit is alive in Puna Makai

Picture posted with Permission-WATCHDOG © 2011

Wonderful things happen when COMMUNITIES come together and work for a cause. This one is so important -- providing services for our VETS!

This past Saturday, June 18th, literally at the crack of dawn, members from Hawaiian Shores and Beaches Communities were up and heading into town to Liliuokalani Park at Hilo Bay to participate in the first annual 5K run "A Salute to Our Veterans"  kicking off VFW Post 3830's  "Growing and Showing' campaign. 

According to the event coordinator, our 'Legs for Liberty' Team won in the category  of "greatest amount of registered participants"! CONGRATS! This wonderful team of fitness enthusiasts who come together several times a week for various levels of fitness exercises from 'stretch & tone' to 'circuit walking' to 'water aerobics' can now add a 5k walk to their activities achievements! HSCA's former Community Relations Committee Chair, Suzan, has volunteered her time to lead the various fitness activities for the past 3 years and has an impressive group of local residents who regularly participate. However, on Saturday, they all joined as 'volunteers' to raise funds for another group of tireless and all giving volunteers who serve at the very active local VFW Post 3830 located in Nanawale!

Also participating in this year's event were 7 Active Duty Soldiers from Guam and Hilo runners for a grand total of 140 participants! 

The 'Growing and Showing' campaign hopes to raise around $250k by 2013. The event coordinator said: "The money will be used to expand the post facility (add commercial kitchen and the other half of the building that has been planned for years) and programs.  Showers will also be added. The plan is to provide stand downs on a regular basis that bring in doctors, dentists and sign veterans up for services." The 'Post Commander' said about this year's 5K event: "we have planted the seed." It is anticipated that the annual event will continue to grow. 

For a list of services offered by VFW Post 3830 please visit their website. www.vfwpost3830.com

The Hawaiian Shores group, organized under the auspices of the Ladies Auxiliary President, Freda Hart, reflects but one of the communities who came together. The larger community of volunteers who weekly give generously of themselves, many of whom are VETS themselves, are from VFW Post 3830. These and others who participated in this year's first annual 5k understand the importance of giving back to the VETS who have served our country and community answering the call to preserve LIBERTY. 

MAHALO NUI LOA to the VETS and ACTIVE DUTY SOLDIERS and thanks to the 'volunteers' who participated in this year's 5k! And a special thanks to the Post Commander, George Kelly, who leads one of the most active VFW Posts in the nation. His vision and staff of like minded volunteers continue to inspire the community they serve. Thanks too to the Event Coordinator, Marlene Hapai, for bringing it all together and for the assistance in getting the information together so this story could be told!