Categorized | Agriculture

‘Day of Service’ with Kaiser, school gardens (Jan. 17)

MEDIA RELEASE

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii physicians and clinic staff will set aside their sterile medical garb, equipment and working environment and, instead, get down and dirty working in the dirt – volunteering in Hawaii Island school gardens to celebrate the 25th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. “Day of Service” on Monday, Jan. 17.

In doing so, they hope to practice what they preach daily to patients via their “HEAL” prescription for “Healthy Eating, Active Living.”

Partnering with the Hawaii Island School Garden Network (HISGN), Kaiser Permanente Hawaiiphysicians, providers and staff are inviting school and community friends to join them from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 17 at Malaai: The Culinary Garden of Waimea Middle School, Kahakai Elementary School, and Hilo High School.

Participants will weed, prune, work compost piles and lend a hand in countless other ways to nurture sustainable learning gardens and a healthier lifestyle for the new year.

This is the second year Kaiser Permanente’s medical professionals are “walking the walk” of their “HEAL” prescription for patients and the community at large on Hawaii Island, Maui and Oahu.

In addition to learning about the pleasure and benefits of gardening, the day’s activities will include games to reinforce Kaiser Permanent’s statewide 5-2-1-0 nutrition program to combat childhood obesity through public awareness and education.

The 5-2-1-0 program encourages 5 fruits and vegetables or more per day, 2 hours of screen time or less, 1 hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity, and 0 sodas and sugar-sweetened sports and fruit drinks.

Dr. Cris Ancog, a pediatrician with Kaiser Permanente, serves as a volunteer medical advisor for the program.

Community friends, students, families and faculty are invited to participate in the work and learn day, which will include delicious healthy morning snacks and lunch.

Participants are asked to RSVP by Jan. 12 by calling Nancy Redfeather (322-2801) or emailing nredfeather@kohalacenter.org.

Tools, gloves, sunscreen and drinking water will be provided. Participants should wear comfortable clothing suitable for getting dirty and wear closed shoes. This is a zero waste event – bring a water bottle if you have one.

About Kaiser Permanente Hawaii

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii has provided total health to the people of Hawaii for more than 50 years. Today it has Hawaii’s largest medical group with over 430 physicians and providers supported by 4,400 nurses and staff. Care for members is focused on their total health guided by our personal physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert care and medical teams are supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health.

Visit www.kp.org

About Hawaii Island School Garden Network

The goal of the Hawaii Island School Garden Network (HISGN) is to help island schools build gardening and agricultural programs to significantly increase consumption of, and access to, locally produced food by involving students, their school communities, and their family networks in fresh food production. HISGN is one of The Kohala Center’s self-reliance initiatives.

Visit www.kohalacenter.org/HISGN/about.html

About Malaai: The Culinary Garden of Waimea Middle School

Now in it’s 6th year of growing real change for Waimea’s children and community in a ¾-acre outdoor living classroom, Malaai’s mission is to deepen Waimea Middle School students’ relationship with food, their culture, and their environment by creating and sustaining an organic garden and kitchen classroom that engages them in all aspects of growing, harvesting, preparing and sharing nourishing, healthy food. Ultimately, the program intends for all food served at the school to be wholesome, fresh, delicious and just.

Malaai, a not-for-profit working in partnership with Waimea Middle Public Conversion Charter School, is financially supported by community friends, donors and volunteers.

Also, check out Waimea Crop Share, funded in part by Kaiser Permanente, The Kohala Center and West Hawaii Fund, to share surplus fresh produce grown in back yards, local farms and at the school garden – from 12:30-3 p.m., Saturdays, Jan. 15, Jan. 22 and Jan. 29 at Malaai.

Visit www.malaai.org

About Kahakai Elementary’s School Garden

The Kahakai School Gardenwas founded many years ago by Principal Jessica Yamazawa with the help of the Kona Young Farmers. Today, there are 2 garden sites. One is a teaching/market garden and the other site is the future theater, butterfly house and native garden that is under construction. The Kahakai 5th Grade hosts a Student Farmer’s Market every Wednesday morning before school.

About Hilo High School’s Garden

The Hilo High School Agriculture Program is a wonderful, sprawling series of terraced gardens located at the back of the Hilo High School campus. Science teacher Steve Nemeth teaches a variety of agricultural science electives. The gardens hold an impressive diversity of native plants, fruit trees, herbs, and food crops. Of particular interest is the Hawaiian endemic garden featuring pre-contact plants as well as a canoe garden cultivated with plants and trees brought to Hawaii by early voyagers. There are also income crops and an impressive collection of citrus. Nemeth shares with his students his vast wealth of knowledge of the cultural, nutritional and medicinal uses of native plants. The program also utilizes aquaponics and hydroponics systems, which are student maintained.

About Martin Luther King Day of Service

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?'”

Each year, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on the King Holiday to serve their neighbors and communities.

Visit www.mlkday.gov

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