MEDIA RELEASE

Project Compassion, a monthly fundraising event at the Kona Denny’s supports The Pregnancy Center on Sunday, Feb. 21 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Guest servers include former County Councilman and state Rep. Jim Rath, former Sen. Paul Whalen, and President/CEO of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce Vivian Landrum. Celebrity hosts are Chuck and Doni Antone of the Kona Coast Chaplaincy and David Rees-Thomas, founding pastor of Calvary Community Church.

The Pregnancy Center will receive 100% of the special guest servers’ tips and 20% of food and beverage sales to help support its mission of helping men and women explore their options and empower them to make informed sexual and reproductive choices.

Project Compassion is a partnership of the Rotary Club of Kona, Denny’s Restaurant and local 501(c)3 non-profits in Hawaii. These monthly events have raised thousands of dollars since the beginning of 2009 to help the non-profits support their programs. All proceeds from the event go to the participating non-profits.

MEDIA RELEASE

West Hawaii residents and visitors will be able to support Full Life while enjoying a meal 4-9 p.m. Sunday. Sept. at the Kona Denny’s. 

Full Life will receive 20 percent of the food and beverage sales during this time and 100 percent of guest servers’ tips.

Full Life is a 501(c)3 non-profit, which provides unique, person-centered services for people with developmental disabilities. Founded on the philosophy of self-determination, Full Life empowers people with disabilities to determine their own goals for living a meaningful life. 

By stopping by Denny’s for a meal or just some dessert Sunday, the Kona community can show its support for work Full Life does helping those with disabilities reach their full potential.

Project Compassion is a partnership between the Rotary Club of Kona, Denny’s Restaurant and non-profit organizations in West Hawaii. The monthly events have raised awareness for many Hawaii-based non-profits and thousands of dollars to support their programs. All proceeds from the events go to the participating non-profit.

The funds raised will help support Full Life’s annual “Surf Day,” which provides a day of surfing and paddling activities for people with developmental disabilities. This event brings together volunteerocean enthusiasts, surf instructors, Full Life and the West Hawaii community to provide a safe and supportive opportunity for participants to surf or paddle.

Reservations are not required.

— Find out more:

Full Life: Stone Wolfsong, executive director, at 322-9333, stone@fulllifehawaii.com, or www.fulllifehawaii.org

Rotary Club of Kona’s Project Compassion: Sue McConnel at samcconnel@aol.com

MEDIA RELEASE

Kona’s ‘Project Compassion’ to serve up Denny’s dinners to support newborn baskets for Big Island babies

6,000 babies … and counting. That’s how many Hawaii Island infants have received an absolutely free newborn basket within 24 hours of birth at a Big Island hospital over the past 5 years.

The newborn baskets, part of the “Baby Steps To Stronger Big Island Families” program, are meant to welcome infants into the world and provide research-based “tools” to help each child and his or her family receive the best possible start to family life.

Supported by grants, private donations and thousands of volunteer hours, the project started in December 2004 as a response to Mayor Harry Kim’s community-driven “Kick ICE” initiative.

The community is invited for dinner between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. Sunday, July 12 at Denny’s Restaurant in Kailua-Kona to support the newborn basket project through “Project Compassion,” a partnership between the Rotary Club of Kona, Denny’s and local charities to provide financial support to non-profit organizations working in the community.

Denny’s will donate 20 percent of all dinner bills and 100 percecnt of all tips to “Baby Steps To Stronger Big Island Families” newborn basket project.

The baskets most notably include a $30 Snugli (a front-pack baby carrier), which is very handy for carrying an infant hands-free.  But, more than a nice thought or helpful convenience, the contents of the gift basket are based on research showing use of a Snugli promotes a caring, safe, bonded relationship between an infant and his or her family.

These stronger first relationships significantly define and enhance a newborn’s relationships throughout life. Better relationships equate to higher self esteem, which experts agree help with making better choices throughout life.

Newborn baskets also include baby’s first book, useful information for new moms such as SIDS prevention, how to install car seats, and a comprehensive Resource Directory to help anxious new families connect with services in their community.

“Newborn baskets have been a huge hit all over the island because they are such a lovely way for the community to celebrate the birth of a new child,” said Angela Thomas, who has led the project from its inception.

But presenting every new mom with a lovely gift is really just the tip of the iceberg. Because of solid research about the significant value of attachment to infant development, our project has been supported by many public and private partners – from KTA SuperStores to the state Legislature to Gov. Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona to Kamehameha Schools and many more, including nearly a hundred volunteers who have spent more than 5,000 unpaid hours assembling baskets for our island’s three major hospitals.

Waiting on customers during Denny’s “Project Compassion” will be a cadre of VIP “wait help” including LAVA105FM’s Sherry Bracken, Susan Maddox of Friends of the Future and North Hawaii Rotary’s newly installed President, Family Support Services of West Hawai’i’s JoAnn Bishop Freed, Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce’s Bill Sanborn and Vivian Landrum, PATCH’s Gail Judd, Hawaii Community Foundation’s Diane Chadwick and several surprise guests.

No reservations are needed for Denny’s “Project Compassion” dinner. For information about “Baby Steps To Stronger Big Island Families, call Angela Thomas (808) 990-6754.

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Karin Stanton/Hawaii247.org Contributing Editor

Kamakana Playground has reopened after two months of extensive renovations.
Higashihara Park now features separate play areas and equipment for toddlers, as well as keeping and restoring key features.
Community project manager Cliff Kopp on Tuesday praised the volunteers, including Rotary Club, Lions Club, Carpenter’s Union and Drug Court clients working off community service.
“This playground is for the children to have the fun; the parents get to have the memories,” Kopp said. “It was 61 days of fun for me. It was all about the fun”

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Kopp pointed to the Drug Court volunteers as an integral part of the process.
“I love you guys. You pulled us out of hot water several times when we thought we couldn’t get it done,” Kopp said.
Judge Ronald Ibarra, who oversees Drug Court, said also hailed the volunteers.
Kopp and Ibarra estimated 8,000 donated labor hours, including several Drug Court clients who juggled school and work to pitch in up to 38 hours a week.
“This park is a place where kids can feel safe. So for the keiki and families, I say thank you,” Ibarra said. “I heard comments back that they just felt like any regular human being who is concerned about this community.”
Rotary Club of Kona spearheaded the renovations, with a $10,000 contribution. Ironman Foundation also donated $10,000 and Kopp personally kicked in a substantial amount, which County Council members said they will reimburse.
The playground originally was built through donated time and materials, however it fell into disrepair over the last decade.

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Sue Berges and her family were regular visitors to the park before the renovations and were among the first to test out the new playground.
“It’s beautiful, very nice,” she said. “It’s always been a great park, but before it was a lot more dangerous.”
Her sons Brett, 5, and Derek, 21 months, have been waiting for the day when they could come check it out.
“Brett will love the climbing equipment, the slide and, of course, the castle is a favorite,” Berges said. “He’s been asking about it all the time. Waiting for it to open again.”
Kopp and his army of volunteers:
* Refurbished one pavilion and built a second one
* Refurbished and restored all the wooden structures
* Built new bathrooms on the playground level
* Installed 12 new pieces of equipment, including a 20-foot zipline and a vertical springload decive called Bing Boing, reportedly the first of its kind in the state
* Added tire swings, including one for disabled keiki
* Created two horseshoe courts and three inlaid tables for chess and checkers
* Added three new barbecue pits
* Laid new surfacing, 70 tons of rock wall, and planted 5 square yards of lawn
* A 22-foot-long whale sculpture to climb on

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Project Compassion lands again 4-9 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22 at Denny’s Restaurant in Kona. During those hours, 20 percent of the dinner bill and 100 percent of the tips will be donated to the Kealakehe Neighborhood Watch Program.

County of Hawaii Fire Department personnel (in uniform) will be the majority of the servers, along with a smaller number of KNW Board members. KNW is contributing all monies raised on Feb. 22 to the Greg Cameron Medical Fund, a paramedic recently diagnosed with cancer.

The donations are part of Project Compassion, which is a partnership between Denny’s Restaurant, the Rotary Club of Kona and local charities, to provide support to non-profit organizations in our community.

Every month Project Compassion will be holding these fundraisers at Denny’s. Upcoming events include:

• February 22: Kealakehe Neighborhood Watch with Hawaii County Fire Dept. helping to serve
• March 8: Kealakehe High School Project Grad
• April 19: Family Support Services West Hawaii
• May 17: West Hawaii Mediation Center
• June 7 or 28: Three Ring Ranch
• July: The Big Island Good Beginnings Alliance: Baby Steps Program
• August: Special Olympics

 

Karin Stanton/Hawaii247.org Contributing Editor

Have some compassion. Go to Denny’s. Just don’t order double bacon on that cheeseburger or extra chili with your fries … the doctor really is in the house.

The restaurant is teaming with Rotary Club of Kona to host Project Compassion, a benefit for the West Hawaii Community Health Center.

And state Sen. Josh Green will be among those serving meals 3-9 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18 at Denny’s.

He’s promised to talk story with his customers, which means your root beer float might take longer than usual …

“The West Hawaii Community Health Center is a critical member of Hawaii’s health care safety net and in these tough economic times needs our support more than ever,” said Green, an emergency room physician. “They care for our families, many uninsured children and people who might be down on their luck. The health center never turns anyone away.”

For those unable to attend, tax deductible donations may be sent to:

West Hawaii Community Health Center
c/o Richard Taaffe, CEO
75-5751 Kuakini Highway Suite 203
Kailua-Kona HI, 96740