The Rotary Club of Pearlridge (RCOP) added to a great start to July community service projects on Saturday as Rotary International kicked off the Year of HOPE in July 2023. As a proud and active member of both Hawaii Rotary District 5000, and Hawaii Lions District 50, I am truly honored to have joined fellow members from both the Rotary Club of Pearlridge and the Mana Loa Nimitz Lions Club at this past Saturday’s Rotary Club of Pearlridge monthly workday at the Puuloa Springs Native Hawaiian Garden which is located between the Pearl Harbor Bike Path and historic Pearl Harbor shoreline in Aiea/Pearl City, Hawaii.
Rotarians and Lions Club community volunteers also teamed up with Pearl City High School Interact Youth Leadership students and their advisors to help clean-up and beautify Puuloa Springs. The Pearl City High School Interact Club is one of three extremely productive and successful Interact Clubs from Pearl City and Aiea that are sponsored by the Rotary Club of Pearlridge. RCOP sponsored Interact clubs which include, Pearl City High School, Highlands Intermediate School, and Cross Academy School generously volunteer their time at monthly Puuloa Springs workdays throughout the year.
Led by RCOP Treasurer and RCOP Puuloa Springs Native Hawaiian Garden Chair and Coordinator, Lasar McCabe, Saturday’s workday included teams of volunteers who picked up rubbish along the Pearl Harbor Bike Path and Pearl Harbor shoreline, cleared overgrown weeds and grass on the bike path and in the garden, and laid down weed blocking fabric and spread several bags of mulch and cut branches throughout the garden.
Collaborative Leadership Partnerships
The special bond between partnerships with international service organization clubs like the Rotary Club of Pearlridge and Mana Loa Nimitz Lions Club, builds upon the foundation of service by providing and caring for the communities they support. Collaborative Leadership Partnerships is the key to communication, motivation, creative innovation, and the implementation and successful execution of service projects throughout the year that makes a difference by being beneficial to all via outreach here locally, nationally, and globally.
President’s LEAD the way
Saturday’s Puuloa Springs Native Hawaiian Garden service workday, once again, is a shining example of the bond through leadership and commitment by community service volunteers whose mission is to create a sustainable, healthy environment with respect while educating and perpetuating the Hawaiian culture through the beauty that the native Hawaiian Garden’s plants, trees, and flowers extend to Pearl Harbor Bike Path users, visitors, and neighbors.
Our partnership is blessed with exceptional leadership from the following President’s:
Dick Mosko, President, Past District Governor, Rotary Club of Pearlridge
Theodore “Teddy” Sepulveda, President, Pearl City High School Interact Club
Dexter Aoki, President, Mana Loa Nimitz Lions Club
I am so grateful for the opportunity to volunteer and work alongside fellow Rotarians, Lions, Interact Club students and advisors, and community and corporate supporters who live everyday with the compassion to serve Hawaii and the world together filled with the spirit of Aloha and Hope in their hearts.
Mahalo to everyone who worked hard and did a great job. Also, mahalo to Lasar and Patrick McCabe for providing the delicious, cold popsicles that cooled everyone down following the workday. Also, mahalo to RCOP members Rick Lau and Ed Kido who picked up the ono pastries, and Dick Mosko and Randy Ching who helped with hosting the post workday treats with the Pearl City High School Interact Club members and their advisors.
Mahalo!
Barry Villamil
President-Elect, Interact Youth Leadership Director
Rotary Club of Pearlridge
Member, Mana Loa Nimitz Lions Club
