Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 10, 1 October 1994 — Chairman's View [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Chairman's View

Ka 'ikena a ka Luna ho'omalu

(This eolumn is open to all OHA trustees to express their individual views and does not necessarily represent the official position of the Board of Trustees. Since these are individual opinions, OHA does not take responsibility for their factual accuracy.)

by Clayton H. W. Hee Chairman, OHA Board of Trustees Mahalo piha iā kākou pākahi apau. Thank you for the privilege of serving you. Too often, as elected officials we get caught up in debates and the decision-making process,

often forgetting to take time to thank those whom we are privileged to serve. This space is dedicated to all who have afforded me that opportunity to work for the betterment of our people since 1990. ... and

to thank those who have taken the time from their busy schedules to write to me as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. In 1992, Eleanor Kalawai'a Ahuna of Hilo wrote, "... mahalo for your strong stands on land issues as I see on TV and read about in Ka Wai Ola O OHA. I believe, like you, that we must regain all that is Hawai'i's, and I write to thank you for your good work." Tehawanase Webster, also of Hilo, wrote in 1994, "Thank you and your panel for the $ 1 ,000 for the houseless Hawaiian educational materials." Frances Dinnan of Kaua'i wrote thanking OHA for supporting the statewide Hawaiian

Language Immersion Family Retreat. "Without OHA's grant assistance, our event would not have gone as smoothly. Those of us involved in Hawaiian language immersion programs now share a different perception of OHA's ability to help the Hawaiian people." It is wonderful to finally have

the resources to help organizations and community groups who have long labored on their own - with little to no assistance — on behalf of our people. But even more rewarding and touching are the opportu-

nities to aid our fellow Hawaiians on an individual basis, especially our 'ōpio, our future. Malia Akutagawa of Moloka'i wrote in February 1992 to thank OHA for her $2,000 scholarship. "I am now a junior majoring in chemistry, biology, and philosophy (at Whitworth College). 1 plan to return to Hawai'i and be an environmental lawyer. ... to address environmental problems existing at home, issues of land and water use, and native Hawaiian land rights. Your financial assistance ... provides me with the means to fulfill my goals." Shirleen Simons of Puna, through OHA assistance, attend-

ed "Operation Enterprise" at the Girl Scout National Headquarters in New York City in 1992. After her experience, she wrote, "Being- on my own and seeing the world gave me the desire to see and do more. Now I'm eonsidering going to a Mainland eollege. ... Thanks to your generosity and belief in me, I had the most exciting time of my life. The experience has given me some new goals in life." But of all the letters, notes, and expressions of gratitude I have received in the past four years, none has touched me more than that of the Freitas family of Waialua, with a simple thankyou for OHA's grant for living and household expenses. "I was about to give up on everything, after being turned down from so many people and organizations. But it's times like these that put the fire back on. ... When we got your letter, I cried because I now know there are still people in the world today that care. So Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you again for everything you and your organization has done for us." Signed Wesley, Lanelle, 01ivia, and Shardane Freitas. Thank you Wesley, Lanelle, 01ivia, Shardane, Shirleen, Malia, Tehawanase, Eleanor, and all of the rest of you whose letters could not fit in this space. It is I who thanks you for the privilege of serving. Na ke akua e mālama iā 'oukou apau.