March 24, 2012
The Kohala Mountain News
Page 19

Young Artists Imagine ‘The Future of Kohala Hospital’

Kohala Middle School stu¬dents recently “brushed up” on their art skills and showed their support for Kohala Hos¬pital by participating in Kohala Hospital Charitable Founda¬tion’s poster contest, “The Future of Kohala Hospital.”

The foundation was estab¬lished in 2002 when the state Legislature tried to shut down Kohala Hospital. The story is very similar to that of Kohala Middle School. The people of the Kohala community had to fight to keep the hospital open, just like the community did for the school in 2010.

Ten years after the founda¬tion was established, it faces the biggest challenge yet. The hospital is in desperate need of a new emergency room build¬ing. The foundation is working to raise $1.2 million to accom¬plish this, but it needs the con¬tinued support of the Kohala community.

To raise awareness and engage young people in community service for the hospital, the foundation started this art contest. The winners are Mina Apostadiro, Isaiah Moreno, Patrick Nelson, Joshua Page, Jamiel Ventura, Jaymeson Keyes, Teshna Gil¬huis-Nekrash, Dylan-Paul Torres Salva¬dor, Marvelanne Clark, Maya Anderson, and Miranda Canniff.

First-place winners received $40, second-place $30, and third-place $20. All pieces of the winners’ artwork are professionally matted and framed by David Gomes, a foundation board member. The artwork will be displayed at the Kohala branch of Hawaii Com¬munity Federal Credit Union for one month, and all of the pictures will be displayed at Kohala Hospital.

The foundation offers a big mahalo to Mrs. Johnson-Hirt, who supplied all of the art materials for the contest, and the two judges, Camille Dugan from Ackerman Gallery and Sandie Wong from ATV Outfitters Hawaii LTD/Kohala Ditch Adventures LTD. Sandie also donated half of the cash prize amount.

The foundation especially thanks the students who participated in the art contest and invites the community to see their artwork at the credit union and the hospital.

The foundation will host its annual spring fundraiser, “Beer, Boots, Brats and Barbeque” at Kahua Ranch on April 28 from 4 to 8 p.m. The event features dinner, dessert, wine, beer, dancing to live music with country music star Paul Nash, plus live and silent auctions. The event is sponsored by Bitburger Beer and Kahua Ranch. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased at Kamehameha Phar¬macy in Kapa`au, Mother’s Antiques in Hawi, from any KHCF board member, or call 889-1144.

photo by Duncan JT Anderson

Jaymeson Keyes, 1st place, 7th-grade category