On The Bay And On The Air, Nonprofit Groups Spur Talk At Kaneohe Neighborhood Board Meeting

Nonprofit groups were a topic of conversation during our October 20 meeting. Here’s a report. 

Kaneohe Bay Regional Council: Our chairman, Mo Radke, reported on the Council’s deliberations over a company with ties to the nonprofit group Kama’aina Kids.

The company, Holokai Kayak and Snorkel Adventures, offers guided and self-guided tours of the bay. Holokai’s website says that the firm serves 5,000 customers a year from He’eia State Park and that the programs it offers are educational. The website says Holokai’s revenues support Kama’aina Kids’ operations. Kama’aina Kids operates the state park and a range of childcare programs that serve 9,700 children and families island-wide.

Board Chairman Mo Radke

Mr. Radke represents the Neighborhood Board on the Council. He reported that the Council has concluded that Holokai Tours is a commercial entity because it markets its services to adult tourists and that it should cease commercial operations on the bay. He also said that a Council committee recommended that the Council define the terms “commercial” and “educational” as they apply to activities on the bay. (A report by the committee includes more details).

The Council is a state-chartered group that provides guidance on public use and protection of Kaneohe Bay. The group’s focus is the Kaneohe Bay Master Plan, which encourages limits on commercial use of the bay.

PSA’s for NPO’s: We learned about this program from Donna Ylen, manager of the Windward Community Media Center, a division of Olelo Community Media based at King Intermediate School. She said Media Center staff will produce a public service announcement on request for local nonprofit groups.

Recording times are offered on the first Thursday of each month. Interested groups should develop a short message about themselves and then email windward@olelo.org to schedule a recording time.

City Grants for Nonprofits: City Councilman Ikaika Anderson told us that the deadline is approaching for local nonprofits to apply for grants of up to $125,000. He said each City Council district must receive at least $250,000 in nonprofit grants each year.

Grant proposals are due to the City by 2 p.m. on Monday, November 14. An online application is available on the City’s Division of Purchasing website.

Comments Welcome: Please join us for all of our meetings. If you are unable to attend, you may provide testimony online and contact Neighborhood Board members directly. Comments on this blog are welcomed. To add a comment, please click on the link below. Also, please like us on Facebook and comment there.

Note: To see an earlier report on our October meeting, click here.