One of the things I love about Rotary is that the people who join are truly focused on serving their community, both locally and globally. At a Rotary meeting, despite differences in professions, race, religion, cultures and politics, the people in the room are united in Rotary’s mission to serve, and to do so based on the principles of the 4-Way Test. Service Above Self means we leave our egos at the door and do what is best for the people we are serving. I love that, no matter what their professional position may be, our Club members are willing to do the work that needs to be done. I am proud of the work that our Club does.
If you have friends, relatives or coworkers who you think can truly embrace the "Service Above Self" motto, please invite them to join us for the "Rotary is Fun" Social Night event on Thursday, August 27th, from 6 - 7:30 pm. (Please see the details below). Please reach out to me directly and let me know about your guests joining the Social Night.
Mahalo,
Ary Radnaeva
2020 - 2021 President of the RCHS
UPCOMING MEETING - AUGUST 20 - ZOOM ONLY!
As the number of COVID-19 cases in Hawaii is increasing, the RCHS, following City and County of Honolulu recommendations and guidelines, is offering only virtual Zoom meetings in August. We are committed to ensuring the health and well-being of our members, guests and the community.
Please join us for our weekly meeting on August 20th. This meeting will be only on Zoom! Our usual informal happy (half) hour begins at 6:00 pm, and the bell rings at 6:30 pm to formally start the meeting.
Our speaker will be Megan K. Kau, a trial attorney rendering legal services as a sole practitioner specializing in the areas of civil and criminal litigation. She was born on the island of Oahu and grew up with her twin sister in Kaneohe. She attended Punahou School and the University of Hawai`i at Manoa. She is a 2003 graduate of Santa Clara Law School. After completing law school, she was certified by the State of Hawai`i as a CPA (not active). After working as a tax accountant at KPMG in Honolulu, Megan tried many cases as a career criminal Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the City and County of Honolulu. She then worked at two private civil firms before opening her own law practice. She has completed approximately 45 jury trials.
Aside from her extensive legal experience and unmatched work ethic, it is Megan’s grit and resilience that ranks her amongst the most respected and accomplished trial attorneys in the State of Hawai`i. Her success in private practice has not dampened Megan’s continuing passion to serve her community. In particular, Megan is dedicated to advocating for those overlooked and marginalized individuals who are without a voice and will relentlessly fight to ensure justice for the residents of Oahu as the next Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu.
ATTENTION: New Zoom link information from now on. The previous link is no longer available.
To join the meeting via Zoom, please follow this link:
Dial by your location: +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma).
Last Week's MEETING - AUGUST 13
Our speaker on August 13 was Edwin Hawkins, from the Honolulu Office of Economic Development. Edwin shared with us some of what the office has been doing to help Honolulu businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He explained that at one time the state of Hawaii had one of the best employment rates in the country. Now it has one of the worst. Hawaii is in many ways a paradise for tourists. When tourism stops, the economy stops. The coronavirus has had a devastating effect on the tourism industry and on business.
So what do we do? Work to control the spread and contain the disease. Help individuals with economic hardship. Help business survive and recover. Develop short term and long term plans. Tap CARES Act funding at the state and city level.
There are 70,000 sole proprietorships and contractors on Oahu. Many are home businesses, whose business has gone to almost zero.
The city's focus areas are:
testing, testing, testing
contact tracing
protection of first responders/workers
quarantine and isolation facilities
alternative hospital bed prep
support to individuals and businesses.
One of the more interesting things that his office is doing is that it has been able to use federal coronavirus relief funds to provide grants of up to $10,000 to small businesses. Although the program gives a priority to "mom and pop" store front businesses, which have been particularly hard hit, grants are available for farmers and commercial fishermen, and even non-profit organizations.
He explained that the city has other initiatives that support small businesses. Among these are "farm to car" and "fish to dish" programs that enable farmers and fishermen to sell their products to consumers. The city is also establishing an Office of Economic Revitalization separate from the Office of Economic Development.
Looking forward to a post-pandemic world, he said that tourism is being restructured. Things will probably never return to pre-pandemic style tourism. Now Hawaii is focusing on high quality tourism, diversifying the economy, increasing housing and care for the homeless. He said he is hopeful that transit-oriented development in the urban core will help preserve the beauty of other parts of the island.
Thank you, Edwin, for your interesting and thought-provoking talk.
Professionally I am working 12 hours a week at the Aloha Medical Mission dental clinic. As you can imagine we are very busy and we are appointed out to mid September. We have a full schedule daily and try to see emergency walk-in patients also. There may be two dentists working at the same time to handle the patient load. Since returning to being fully open for patient care we have averaged between 300 and 350 patients treated a month. The city grant requires our clinic to treat more than 3000 patients this year to justify funding.
I also am a volunteer at the Friends of the Library. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the used book sales. A shift to online purchases of books in stock is up and running. The book sales at different public schools held in the past are on hold for now. Next month one of our Rotary speakers will be Kainoa Mau, executive director of the Friends of the library. He will talk about the move to a warehouse located near Costco Iwalei. The warehouse is in the same complex that Hal and Lie Darcy had their shop and office.
Finally, I continue to do woodworking and golf. The Men's Shed is closed for now. I have been working from my home shop.
Mahalo, Jonathan
Please join us for the "Rotary is Fun" Social Night event on Thursday, August 27th, from 6 - 7:30 pm. This social gathering will be done via Zoom.
Come, socialize, invite at least one friend who is interested in learning more about Rotary and seeking opportunities for service work and networking! It will be a night full of fellowship, humor, good conversations and FUN!
Let's show what Rotary is all about!
RCHS BOARD Secretary position is Open!
A club secretary is an important role and it helps to run the club smoothly and effectively. The secretary also monitors club trends to help identify strengths and areas for improvement, and share this information with club leaders.
Maintain minutes of club, board, and committee meetings.
Make required reports to RI.
Perform any other duties that usually pertain to the office of secretary.
We need you to continue to run our club successfully! Please reach out to our Club Trainer Beth at bhoban@primecarehawaii.com for more detailed information.
YACHTING FELLOWSHIP
Jenny Do, from the Eco Rotary Club of Kaka'ako is the Fleet Commodore of the Hawaii Fleet of the International Yachting Fellowship of Rotarians. YFAR was very active in Hawaii in years past, but the local chapter disbanded some years ago.
Jenny explained that the group has events monthly and if you are a member, you can visit another fleet in an outer island or another country and you can go boating with them during your travels. They have water activities that include sailing, boating, and more. You do not need to have a boat to join. They also do community service projects that focus on plastic pollution.
District Governor Naomi Masuno met with our Board on August 10, to discuss the club's plans for the upcoming year, and its vision for the next three years. She encouraged us to make a strategic plan for our club.
Rotary Club of Honolulu Sunset Weekly newsletter
lu businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Jonathan Okabe writes:
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