INITIATIVES

230 members of the Kona community gathered to honor board member Aunty Cindi Punihaole at the red-carpet screening of Keeper of the Bay.

Aunty Cindi is a fierce protector of Kahaluʻu Bay through The Kohala Center’s ReefTeach program and is a guiding light for place-based education in Hawaiʻi. We hosted this event at the Kona Elks Lodge to unite community and education leaders and spark creative ways to inspire and educate Hawaiʻi’s keiki in environmental stewardship.

The night wasn’t just about celebration — it was a fundraising success powered by the community. 29 local artists and small businesses generously donated to the silent auction which raised $20,000!

For the second year in a row, volunteers from the 365 Hawai‘i Island Community Fund manned an aid station to help the Ironman World Championship volunteers. It takes a village!

With the amount of people needed to support an event of this size, volunteer support is critical. We enthusiastically stepped into this role again to support the Ironman Foundation and their contributions that go back into our community.

On Earth Day we organized a group of amazing 365 HICF volunteers to help paint all the tables in all 4 of the pavilions at Old Airport. We had such energetic volunteers that we finished all the work in less than 2 hours!

We had a chance to talk story with Ron who is the Parks Supervisor of Old Airport regarding future projects and we plan on doing quarterly work parties to help improve the park.

The 3rd annual Race for the Reef raised $2,500 for the mineral based sunscreen dispenser at Kahaluʻu Beach park!

80 runners/walker completed the course with the start and finish line at Pāhoehoe Park (moved due to high surf). 

As we grow this fundraising race, we will find a route off of Aliʻi Drive. Stay tuned for 2026! 

365 HICF stepped up to keep the parades in Kona running in 2024.

From raising money to coordinating volunteers, our organization supported both the 4th of July and Christmas parades in Kailua Village.

The 2nd annual Race for the Reef event at Kahaluʻu Beach Park raised $2,000!

This money will help keep toxic chemicals out of the bay and off the coral by supplying mineral sunscreen to the public for free in dispensers at the park.

Learn more about ReefTeach and the volunteer opportunities available from The Kohala Center's Kahaluʻu Bay Education Center.