Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 1, 1 January 2014 — What's up in Waimānalo? You should know ... [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

What's up in Waimānalo? You should know ...

t's WAIMĀNALO MARKET CO-OP, community driven for social and eeonomie development; former home of Mel's Market (41-1029 Kalaniana'ole Highway) and the neighborhood's plaee to buy and sell loeal fresh produce, products, crafts and artisan works. WAIMĀNALO MARKET CO-OP aims to strengthen small and backyard farming, incubate new and emerging entrepreneurs, while supporting efforts of loeal farmers, artists and businesses. Hawaiian homestead, beach and

farm-lot owners, will find greater opportunity to talk story, share ideas, find loeal, fresh healthy food choices and other products. WAIMĀNALO MARKET CO-OP opened for business on Nov. 14, 2013, Thursdays through Sundays, and is a Hawai'i consumer cooperative association, a member-owned food market without preferred stock, pursuant to Hawai'i Revised Statutes Chapter 412-C. Currently, an electric upgrade and build-out is occurring in Phase 2, the eo-op is in discussion with OHA and the Hawai'i USA Federal Credit Union about subleasing space from the eo-op. This would be the only bank in Waimānalo other than the ATM. The eo-op is also in discussion with Tersty Treats seafood about subleasing from the eo-op. Phase 3 would implement a commercial kitchen. The eo-op is bringing back the community newspaper, 96795 News. Trusted Community Building is key to success for WAIMANALO MARKET CO-OP's effort and many hands working together are moving forward. In 2008-2010, Kehaulani Padilla, born and raised in Waimānalo, launched a webbased roadside produce market as a project for her master's in social work; OHA funded a feasibility study for this identified eommunity need. In 2011, Mel's Market, from 1953 - known for kalbi and poke, the brown meehanieal horse and the plaee for neighborhood talk story, closed its doors. A later community effort for 3,000 people to buy the property, eaeh contributing $300, lagged on feasibility to maintain the "neighborhood plaee." In July 2013, two Waimānalo couples purchased Mel's hoping to "mālama" this

special sense of plaee. Later they talked with Kehaulani and Martha Ross about their hope, and both Kehau and Martha committed to working with the community and others to develop the WAIMĀNALO MARKET CO-OP as a cooperative business. Articles of Incorporation were filed in June 2013, and a steering hui of nine Waimānalo residents (Marlee Breese, Leinaala Bright, Kuulei Laughlin, Blanche MeMillan, Ted Radovich, Angie Runyan, Kukunaokala, along with Kehaulani and Martha) met

regularly to reach out to other Waimānalo residents, neighbors, friends, visitors, farmers, artists, businesses, farmers' associations, organizations, Waimānalo Hawaiian Homestead Association, Waimānalo Hawaiian Civic Club, aquaponics project led by Ilima Ho-Lastimosa, Waimānalo Heahh Center, Waimānalo Beach Cafe, Sweet Home Waimānalo, the Waimānalo Neighborhood Board and many others to seek mana'o, input and interest. Currently, 76 eo-op members, 12 pledges, visitors, neighbors, friends, SCORE, Laulima Center, Kōkua Market, UH CTAHR Sustainable & Organic Program, and several other outstanding organizations and individual professionals providing pro bono services, are working to achieve the vision ... that "Waimānalo, mauka to makai, is eeonomically and socially self-sustaining, and prospers, together." Owning something cooperatively means a group of people eomhine some of their money and time to meet a eommon need, and eaeh becomes a member-owner. This for-profit cooperative style business is run democratically, and a slate of membercandidates volunteers to run to serve on the board, and the eo-op board elected by eo-op member-owners. By pooling resources we are able to have a neighborhood market that most of us could not have opened as individuals. Anyone ean shop at the eo-op ! The eo-op seeks members, farmers, artists, crafters. Visit www.waimanalomarket.com and our Facebook page. Drop by, or eall Martha at (808) 265-0373, Kehaulani at (808) 2249193, or email at info@waimanalomarket. eom. Waimānalo is showing us the way ... Hiki no kākou - together we ean. 13/48 ■

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