Author Archives: Roxanne

Help Uncle Bobby Raise Funds for MDA

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We all know how much Uncle Bobby gives of his time and attention to our community – now he is asking for your support in raising funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He will be “in jail” for MDA and only released if he meets his funds-raising goal of $2000? Can you contribute? It is tax-deductible and is a lovely way to say Mahalo to Uncle Bobby for all that he does.

Please visit his Official MDA Fund-Raising page here.

UPDATE: We have pictures from Uncle Bobby’s time in jail. We still have time to help him meet his fund-raising goal!

Makapo Paddlers Take Third Place!

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photo of Uncle Bobby and a Makapo paddlerThis past weekend the Puakea Foundation sponsored the Makapo blind racing crew from the Makapo Canoe Club in California at the world famous Queen Liliuokalani Canoe Race in Kona. This crew took third place in the Koa Division, Women 40+ and is an outstanding accomplishment by any measure. (Uncle Bobby also donated a hand-made paddle to help them fund raise for this trip!)

This is one of the globe’s most popular long distance canoe races. And one of the most challenging as it is an “iron” race – meaning there are no crew changes and each paddler commits to the entire 18 miles from Kailua Bay to Honaunau near Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii.

The foundation would like to thank Kirsten Williams and Mike Atwood for joining us in making the opportunity available!

During the race weekend, Uncle Bobby also gave a two hour workshop about wood-working and the art of paddling and canoe-building. Many other blind paddlers joined us and were able to feel for the first time the rigging of the canoe and the texture of various woods immersed in water.

The entire weekend gives a whole new meaning to shining a light on this traditional polynesian sport!

Uncle Bobby Featured in Hana Hou!

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uncle bobby puakea photo by dana edmunds

Uncle Bobby Puakea, photo by Dana Edmunds

Everyone in Hawaii knows the magazine, Hana Hou, which is published by Hawaiian Airlines. It is much more than an in-flight magazine though as it features and celebrates the many special people, places, and things to do here in Hawaii.

The current issue has a feature on Uncle Bobby in the “Native Intelligence” section. We hope you have a chance to read it – either online or while flying on Hawaiian Air! Mahalo to Hawaiian for sharing Uncle Bobby with your readers.

Follow Hawaiian Air on Twitter @HawaiianAir.

Follow the writer, Adrienne LaFrance, on Twitter: @AdrienneLaF.

Please visit photographer Dana Edmunds’ website.

Kialoa Battle of the Paddles Supports Puakea

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puakea tshirtKialoa Paddles is celebrating their 20th anniversary with a special event at their Battle of the Paddle Standup Race at Duke Kahanamoku Beach May 14-15 and they are sharing their success with the Puakea Foundation of Hawaii, Inc. A special welcoming party and aloha concert for competitors will be hosted by Quiksilver Waterman Collection on Friday evening, May 13, featuring local musicians. Event proceeds will directly benefit the Hawaiian Community.

At this year’s Battle of the Paddle Hawaii stand-up paddle race, Kialoa Paddles, Hinano Life (clothing) and Paddle Surf Hawaii, will be having a fundraiser at their booth.

Special t-shirts have been created. As goods cannot be sold on Duke Kahanamoku Beach, we will be giving the shirts away for free alongside the fundraising. They will have laptops at the beach where participants can donate to the foundation via the website. All money collected will go to the Puakea Foundation.

Please plan to join us and get your special edition t-shirt! Itʻs gorgeous and only available for a short time. Learn more and register for the event here. If you can’t make it, it will be broadcast live on Oceanic SURF Channel 250 and 1250HD. There will be keiki races and vendors and SO much going on!

Please show your support by joining us live and by “liking” the Kialoa Paddles Facebook page.

If you cannot attend, you can still get one of these awesome t-shirts by joining the foundation or renewing your membership!

It’s just $25 plus $5 for shipping and handling. Choose your member type and size, enter your email, and click PayNow to get yours!

T-shirts are now SOLD OUT! Mahalo to everyone who purchased one and thank you for your support of the Puakea Foundation.

Save with Sam’s Club – A Puakea Supporter

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Sams-Club-LogoSam’s Club generously donated food for our Annual Meeting – Mahalo nui! Now you can also save with this special membership offer from Sam’s Club. Just sign up for a “year’s worth of savings” and receive a $25 Gift Card for Plus and Business memberships or a $10 Gift Card for an Advantage Membership.

Just download and print this special coupon form that is flagged for the Puakea Foundation of Hawaii, Inc. (The coupon says “employee” but is good for all of our ʻohana.)

This offer is good until July 31, 2011.

Custom Paddle Presented to American Savings Bank

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photo of Uncle Bobby and American Savings Bank representativeYou’ve probably been reading about the theft of thousands of dollars worth of tools from the shed at Heeia Park a few months ago. Shortly after it was announced, American Savings Bank came forward and pledged a very generous sum of $5000 to the Puakea Foundation.

In the spirit of spreading the Aloha and the Mahalo, Uncle Bobby made a custom paddle for ASB and presented it to them recently at the Annual Meeting of the Foundation.

Everyone at the Puakea Foundation continues to be very grateful for the generous support and recognition bestowed on Uncle Bobby from across the community. Please do stop by Heeʻia Park and see the work of restoring old Hawaiian koa canoes in action and spend some time talk story with UB.

Please Join Us! 2011 Annual Meeting

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photo of canoe

The Puakea Foundation would like to invite you to attend our Canoe Workshop, a hands-on demonstration, and our Annual Meeting on April 9, 2011

Date: Saturday, April 9, 2011
Location: Puakea Foundation Learning Center Heeia State Park, Kaneohe, HI
Time: 10am – 3:30pm
Annual meeting to follow: 4pm – 6pm

The day begins with a blessing at 10 am followed by hands-on demonstrations throughout the day on canoe building and repair, paddle making, and the art of canoeing. There will be activities for children and adults as well as teaching materials provided for other educators. We’ll have lunch at 12 noon. We hope you will join us and consider becoming a member of the Puakea Foundation to learn about our many exciting upcoming events!

Come and share your knowledge and historical information on the canoes of the past and future with everyone! All ages are welcome.

hta logoMahalo to the Hawaii Tourism Authority for their funding and support! This all day educational event is sponsored in part by the Kukūlu Ola Living Hawaiian Culture program and is administered in part by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.

Mahalo Nui to American Savings Bank!

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American Savings Bank presenting Uncle Bobby with $5000 to help replace his stolen tools.

American Savings Bank presenting Uncle Bobby with $5000 to help replace his stolen tools.

The first day the word went out about the theft of thousands of dollars’ worth of tools from Uncle Bobby, one of the first calls to come in was from American Savings Bank. They donated $5,000 to the Foundation! Featured here with Uncle Bobby are Laurie Komatsu and Patti Cristobal.

We are so incredibly grateful for their support – to give so generously without asking! That is warm aloha and it will bless all of the canoes and paddles that carry the spirt of Polynesian canoe canoe around the world.