Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 1, 1 January 2021 — Holomua Kākou [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Holomua Kākou

LEO ELELE TRUSTEE MESSSAGES

Aloha kākou! It is with my most heartfelt gratitude and appreciation that I am humbled to be your new OHA Moloka'i-Lāna'i trustee. I cherish the trust and confidence you have given me to move forward with grace, integrity and good intent to help our Hawaiian people. I look . forward to being a part of this effort, but it ean only be successful if we work together.

My late father, Stanley Alapa, of Ho'olehua Moloka'i, always reminded my sisters and I of an important value and that is being of service to others is one of the greatest things we ean ever do in our lifetime. Being of service to others, especially to my Hawaiian community, will be my mantra and serve as a reminder of my purpose as an OHA trustee. On Dec. 10, 2020, my life changed forever when I was officially sworn in to serve as your Moloka'i-Lāna'i trustee. Immediately following was my first official Board of Trustees meeting by zoom. It was an interesting change to what most people are used to, but it was the best in the worst of times for the BOT. I am grateful and want to thank Hawai'i voters for your confidence

in my ability to serve the Hawaiian people and work with the other trustees and staff of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to improve the quality of life of our Hawaiian beneficiaries. At this meeting I was nominated and voted to be the vicechair of the Resource Management Committee and I look forward to working on what issues lie ahead. I also look forward to meeting with community members on

Moloka'i, as well as potential partners for OHA that want to help support the work of the organization. My inspiration to run for OHA was planted since my youth and greatly influenced by my family, especially my father, who entrusted myself along with my sisters to care for his Ho'olehua homestead and to find ways to help build a stronger economy for Moloka'i. I will share more of my father's vision of his master blueprints for his property in future Ka Wai Ola columns. So may you all have a safe and prosperous new year and let's hope that the pandemic will pass, and we ean all get back to a more normal life as we knew before the onset of this virus. Stay safe, healthy and be kind and loving to one another. Mālama pono! ■

Luana Alapa Mūloka'i & Lāna'i