Malama o Manoa was founded in January 1992 as the Manoa Historic Preservation Committee at a Manoa Neighborhood Board meeting. In September, the name Malama o Manoa was adopted. The charter of incorporation as a non-profit corporation in the State of Hawaii was granted in December 1992. In March 1993 the Internal Revenue Service approved Malama o Manoa's application as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, which also allows tax-deductible contributions. Mary M. Cooke was elected as the charter President. Charter Directors were Lowell Angell, Thomas Heinrich, Violet Hiranaka, Agnes Hirotsu, Gerald Honda, Linda LeGrande, Helen Nakano, Charles Pearson, and Bertha Ueoka.

The mission of Malama o Manoa is to promote community; celebrate our cultural diversity and heritage; and preserve, protect, and enhance the special qualities of historic Manoa Valley.

Membership, while primarily aimed at residents of Manoa, is free and is open to anyone who supports the mission of Malama o Manoa. Starting with 37 people who attended the first meeting, there are now over 3,700 registered members.

The Malama o Manoa Newsletter published three times a year has been the primary means of informing the residents of Manoa Valley, members and non-members, of its programs and activities.

Open general membership meetings are held three times each year. In addition to taking care of business and informing those present of activities, a special feature of these meetings has been "Talk Story" sessions, with special topics and old timers relating their experiences living in Manoa. Leaders from Manoa community groups have also been featured, enlightening Malama members about activities of their respective groups.

In June 1996, Malama o Manoa initiated its Website on the Internet's World Wide Web. Information about Malama o Manoa's activities and projects, as well as those of other preservation organizations is available at "http://www.malamaomanoa.org" or send an e-mail to "malamao@aloha.net".

In 1997 Joe Ferraro and the Design Guidelines Committee prepared a Design Resource mailer. Two thousand mailers were printed and distributed showing the different architectural styles of the homes in Manoa Valley and giving suggestions for additions, renovations, new construction, and landscaping.

Starting in 1993, Kupuna Suppers have been held to honor Manoa residents who are at least age 65 and valley residents for at least 50 years. In addition, special recognition has been given to treasured people: Beatrice Krauss (1993), Marie Stacey and Kenji Okimura (1994), Molly Moore and Noboru Oda (1995), and Miriam Reed and Gene Teves (1997).

Ohana Nights have been a combination of fellowship, fun, a showcase for local talent, and a fundraiser with special bentos and a country store. Residents honored for their special contributions to Manoa were David "Pop" Eldredge in 1994, Barbara Lowe in 1995, and Kiyoshi "K-Fat" Hiramatsu in 1996. Manoa School was honored in 1997 and received some of the event proceeds. Ohana Night 2001 was held at Paradise Park to celebrate Miriam Woolsey Reed's 90th birthday.

Malama o Manoa held a fund-raising dinner honoring Founding President Mary Cooke called "An Evening of Aloha with Mary" on March 12, 1997.

The October 1999 "Malama Aina Manoa" festival emphasized Manoa as a living and growing educational, environmental, and cultural resource. There were workshops, tours, hikes, keiki activities, food and entertainment. A luncheon for kupuna was a special feature.

A holiday party for volunteers is held at various places including Kuali'i (Cooke family home), Manoa Valley Theatre, the UH President's home, Noelani School, and St. Francis School to thank everyone for their contributions.

In November 1993, Malama o Manoa organized over 100 volunteers from many Manoa groups to thoroughly clean and paint the Manoa Valley Recreation Center meeting rooms and furniture. Another cleanup - of graffiti - was held in 1995, with periodic patrols since then.

Malama o Manoa participates yearly in the community Christmas parade starting in 1992 with a decorated convertible car, in 1993 with a float celebrating the taro farmers of old Manoa, and from 1995-on with a decorated truck, music, and candy tossing.

In 1995 a newcomers welcome reception was organized, with representatives from other Manoa groups joining in to welcome the new UH President and Mrs. Kenneth Mortimer and new Manoa residents and to inform them of the valley's special features.

In 1997 Manoa School Partnering included proctoring SAT's and a half-day tour of KualiĠi including tours of the garden & heiau, a neighborhood architecture walk, and kupuna "Talk Stories".

Malama contributed $500 toward the Pop Eldredge memorial plaque, which was dedicated in 1998 at the Manoa Park.

Notecards featuring six historic Manoa sites drawn by Elizabeth Chapman and poetry by Landy Chapman are available as a fund-raiser for Malama projects.

In 2001 a welcome reception for the new University of Hawaii President and his family (Dr. Evan and Mrs. Kit Dobelle and their son, Harry) was held at Kuali'i on October 28.

In 1998 Malama was the first organization to "adopt a stream" at the city level. Malama o Manoa's adopted portion extends from the Woodlawn Drive bridge near Longs Drugs, up to the Kahaloa Street bridge near Manoa Gardens at Manoa Valley District Park. On a quarterly basis, Malama spearheads its volunteers in cleaning both the stream and its banks of litter and trash. The establishment of a Manoa Stream Pathway continues as a major goal. Restoration of the trail along the stream continues to progress well with many Saturday cleanups. Representatives from Malama sit on the Manoa Vision 2020 Committee organized by the City Administration in 1998. Malama handled the Manoa Streambank Restoration Project grant of $20,000.

In 2003, Malama, under Helen Nakano's leadership, organized a far-reaching grassroots educational program funded by a Honolulu Board of Water Supply grant of $76,850 to educate residents of the Manoa Sub watershed on ways to preserve and protect our water resources. Called "The Kuleana Project", because it was based on the Hawaiian values of kuleana and kokua, Malama volunteers partnered with 25 teachers and over 950 students, ages 8 to18, in 12 area schools to conduct surveys of household practices regarding use of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, and other activities which impact on the water quality of our streams and oceans.

In addition, Malama produced a motivational-informational video, "Ka Wai o Manoa", which was mass-mailed to 5,000 households in the Valley, conducted a valley-wide walking campaign to pass out Board of Water Supply water conservation packets, stenciled "Don't Dump, Goes to Ocean" signs on 400 storm drains in the valley, hosted the regional City and County Regional Watershed Model contest at the Manoa Marketplace, conducted field trips to the Water Treatment and Recycling facilities at Honouliuli, and sponsored a "Give Us Your Idea" student writing contest.

During August - October 2004, Malama o Manoa partnered with six schools, 950 students and 38 teachers to conduct a Water Warrior Challenge. Altogether 1404 persons pledged to become Water Warriors, responsible, proactive role models who pledged to protect the environment. On October 23, Make a Difference Day, Malama sponsored a parade and a costume contest at the Kuleana Eco-Fair. Events included rides, games and 40 info/testing booths presented by agencies, non-profit organizations and commercial vendors. 2000 participated. A Kuleana Guidebook of "lessons learned" was written at the conclusion of this yearlong project.

1000 TREE GIVEAWAY

On Sept. 5, 2004, Malama o Manoa organized a "1000 Tree Giveaway" at the Manoa Valley District Park. Under the leadership of Jeremy Lam, 1300 trees of 30 varieties were distributed to 850 interested residents from all over Oahu. Arborists fielded plant questions. Volunteers helped recipients pick out trees. The boy scouts from Troop 1 assisted. Malama members had propagated and maintained the trees for 9 months leading up to the special occasion. This special event was in keeping with Malama's goals of preservation and enhancement of our historic valley. It was the first of its kind in Manoa and will not be the last.

MANOA VALLEY SPECIAL DISTRICT (MVSD) PROTECTION OF MANOA

In 1995 & 1996 a series of workshops, open to all Manoa residents and well publicized through the newsletters and brochures distributed to all residents, led to the decision that community support was strong for protection of the tree lined streets, period architecture, mountain vistas, and quiet residential character of the valley. A Design Guidelines Committee, chaired by John Whalen, recommended the creation of a Manoa Valley Special District by city ordinance, in order to establish zoning rules designed specifically for the unique features of Manoa. In January 1995, the proposed ordinance was submitted for preliminary review to the City Department of Land Utilization. To publicize a crucial workshop of the proposed ordinance in June 1995, a one-page flyer was distributed by a canvass walk to almost every home in the valley, summarizing the proposed draft and inviting all residents to attend. In addition, 7,000 were mailed to every registered voting household in Manoa, to assure that no one could say they were not informed.

Additional workshops, again well publicized, were held and revisions made to the proposed ordinance in order to meet concerns on restrictions of lot coverage and front-yard standards. While the Manoa Neighborhood Board and a large number of Manoa residents approved of the concept of the proposed guidelines, the lack of a consensus among the residents led the Board of Directors to delay submission of the proposed ordinance in order to allow time to further inform residents of the need for the ordinance and the consequences of no action.

"Manoa: A Community Guides Its Future," a 12 minute 1996 video captures the memories, personal histories and hopes for the future of eight Manoa residents and admirers. Against the panorama of the valley's verdant Ko'olau Mountains, residents explain the need for a Special District Ordinance to protect this historic rainforest community.

Safe Power Action Network (SPAN) was the vehicle used from 1997-99 to bring together groups who were concerned about the proposed 138 kV line on WaĠahila Ridge. Malama received funding from three foundations: Gerbode, Cooke and Atherton, to hire a SPAN coordinator to help educate the public about the negative effects of this project. In addition, a Preservation Services Fund grant from National Trust for Historic Preservation helped pay for a professional photographer to do computer visualizations to show how the proposed lines would look. In 1997 the National Trust selected Wa'ahila Ridge for their "11 Most Endangered..." list.

In 1998 a press conference in front of the PUC Office, and a rally in front of the State Capitol helped to bring public attention to the issue. SPAN sponsored two community briefings at Ala Wai School in June. Malama volunteers collected thousands of comments on postcards, which were submitted along with over 100 extensive comments from concerned citizens and groups during the 45-day draft EIS public comment period. The final EIS was rejected by the DLNR in January 1999, requiring HECO to resubmit a draft EIS. The revised final EIS was accepted by DLNR Chair, Timothy Johns in 2000 with many concerns expressed in a 29-page letter.

In 1999 Malama co-sponsored an "Empowering The Community" conference with the UH Department of Urban and Regional Planning and SPAN on August 28, 1999. The keynote speaker at this event was Professor Lawrence Susskind, an internationally acclaimed environmental and public dispute mediator.

In 2001 Malama organized a Petition Campaign in preparation for the Conservation District Use Application (CDUA) Public Hearing held on March 22 at the State Capitol. Public awareness of this issue was heightened with notices in both major newspapers. By summer over 10,000 petitions opposed to the project had been collected. November 1 Malama joined with Life of the Land and The Outdoor Circle in a CDUA Contested Case Hearing. Corey Park and Pam Bunn, attorneys from Paul, Johnson, Park and Niles represented Malama before the Judge. The final decision on whether to DENY or grant HECO's request to build the transmission line on Wa'ahila Ridge which is in a Conservation Zone was made by the seven members of the Board of Land and Natural Resources. They voted to DENY the permit in June 2002.

In 2001, Malama o Manoa along with award-winning author and illustrator James Rumford and Manoa Press, produced the book, Kahalaopuna, The Beauty of Manoa. The newest retelling of this classic Manoa Valley legend was done to heighten awareness of the rich cultural significance of Wa'ahila Ridge where Kauhi, the jealous, faithless suitor in the story has been turned into a "sleeping giant". The story reminds us of the beauty of Manoa Valley, the cultural heritage deep within its bones, and the gratitude we feel for the land that embraces us. The first printing included editions in both Hawaiian and English and a special gift set of both books in a cloth covered slipcase. In conjunction with the book's debut, a special "Hawaiian Blessing" event on the Ridge as well as a "Rainbow Celebration" at Neiman Marcus Ala Moana store were held on September 15 and 23, 2001. A companion CD "Wa'ahila" was produced by MPI Talent (Cathy Cooke & Mark Hee) to increase public awareness of the proposed transmission project and the rich historical and cultural significance of Wa'ahila Ridge. "Wa'ahila" received two nominations for Na Hoku Hano Hano Awards.

Oral history interviews under Joan Dempster's leadership were recorded with Charles T. Arizumi, Beatrice Krauss, and Noboru Oda, long-time Manoa residents.

Leadership Workshops are held yearly in August for Directors, Advisors, volunteers, and Manoa community leaders. Facilitators have included Randolph Moore, DeeDee Letts, Pua Burgess, Peter Adler, Holly Henderson, and Miki Lee.

A major undertaking in 1994 was the publication of the book Manoa, The Story of a Valley. The result of sixteen years of research and writing by more than a dozen authors, Malama o Manoa promoted its publication and sale due to its importance as a comprehensive history of the kamaaina community and as a fund raiser. All net proceeds for Manoa have gone into the Malama o Manoa Educational Endowment Fund to be used in support of Malama's mission.

The Educational Endowment Grants Program (EEGP) was start officially in 2000 with a $2500 grant to Punahou School to propagate, distribute and plant native Hawaiian plants in Manoa.

In 2001, a $3000 grant was awarded to James McCarthy to do "Talk Story" performances about the legend of Kahalaopuna in the schools; and a $2000 grant was given to St. Francis School to create a native Hawaiian garden, designed to increase students' understanding and awareness of the importance of growing plants that are native to our Aina.

In 2002 $8500 was awarded to Lyon Arboretum for enlarging the Beatrice Krauss Ethnobotanic Garden and improving its pathways and signage; and $1500 was given to the Manoa Elementary School sixth grade for developing and presenting a play on a Hawaiian legend.

In 2003 a $2000 grant went to Moiliili Community Center for recording and transcribing oral histories of the oldest living members of the Moiliili community; and $3,000 was awarded to Mid Pacific Institute for organizing, copying and preserving archival material and copying historic photos.

In 2004 a $2000 grant was given to Karen Yamamoto Hackler's "Lo'i Theatre"; and an additional $1000 was awarded to Moiliili Community Center's oral history and book project.

The deadline for grant proposals to Malama for the EEGP is March 1 each year.

National Historic Preservation Week has been celebrated each year since 1993 with public presentations by leading preservationists Beatrice Krauss, Dr. William Murtagh, Gerald Takano, and Spencer and Michael Leineweber. A 1997 Walking Tour of Manoa with Spencer Leineweber was a huge success with 66 participants.

In 1997 Malama sent 19 delegates to the Historic Hawaii Foundation (HHF) Conference in Kapolei, which included inspirational island and mainland speakers as well as a Ford Island tour.

In 1998, Malama co-sponsored a Historic Preservation Week Conference with HHF. It included an all-day teachers' workshop led by Hettie Jordan-Villanueva from the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum in NYC; trolley, cemetery, and house tours; as well as a "Feels Like Sunday in Manoa" performance.

In 1999 Malama sent six delegates to the HHF Conference in Kona, HI.

In 2000 Malama sponsored a Historic Walking Tour of the College Hills Neighborhood as part of the Historic Hawaii Foundation's annual conference. An overwhelmingly enthusiastic 350 persons toured the area on June 3, 2000.

In 2001 Malama sent two delegates to the HHF conference in Lahaina, Maui.

On May 18, 2003 Malama o Manoa sponsored a walking tour of historic Manoa neighborhoods. The 2-mile walk through lower Manoa Valley featured over 75 historic properties listed on the State Register of Historic Places and seven of the homes were opened for tours. Over 400 people took part in the tour, held in celebration of National Historic Preservation Week. The tour ended with a gracious reception at the home of University President and Mrs. Evan Dobelle, with refreshments and musical entertainment.

The $20 tour included a map, visor, and comprehensive booklet picturing the historic homes, written and edited by Joan and Duncan Dempster and Linda LeGrande. Excellent publicity efforts and pre-event brochures by Beverly Major and Dawn Yoshimura were significant in making the event a success. Dozens of volunteers on the day of the event worked setting up registration tents, security in homes, taking tickets, and shuttling. The event raised over $13, 500. It is planned again for May 29, 2005.

Each year Malama sends a delegate to the National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference held each October in various mainland cities: Delegates attending include Helen Nakano ('95) to Ft. Worth, TX, Kozen Kaneshiro ('96) to Chicago, IL, Barbara Lowe ('97) to Santa Fe, NM, Beryl Blaich ('98) to Savannah, GA, Mike Durant ('99) to Wash, DC Joe Farber (00) to Los Angeles, CA, George Arizumi (01) to Providence, RI, Thalya DeMott (02) to Cleveland, OH, Linda LeGrande (03) to Denver, CO, Naomi Ohta (04) to Louisville, KY and Aurora Fruehling (05) to Portland, OR.

Grants have been received from the Cooke Foundation ($10,000) in 1994 to fund the series of community planning workshops; the Atherton Family Foundation ($7,500) in 1994 and the McInerny Foundation ($6,000) in 1995 to help fund the distribution of the newsletter to all members; the Harold K. L. Castle Foundation ($20,000) in 1995 to sponsor the second printing of Manoa, The Story of a Valley.

A Strong Foundation grant ($10,000) was used to fund production of a summary brochure as well as a more complete design resource book for Manoa Valley residents showing architectural styles, and suggestions for additions, renovations, new construction, and landscaping.

Five grants were received in 1997-98 for Malama's " Save Wa'ahila Ridge" project: $20,000 each from the Gerbode, Cooke, and Atherton Foundations to hire a SPAN coordinator; an additional $20,000 from the Gerbode Foundation to fund an educational conference, and a $1000 PSF grant from the National Trust for Historic Foundation for professional computer visualization photographs which were submitted as part of the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process to the State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) in 1998.

In 2000, the Gerbode Foundation invited three representatives to meet with the Energy Foundation and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in San Francisco to discuss the 138 kV project. Many excellent suggestions and resource persons were shared during two days of meetings July 26 and 27.

In 2001, the Gerbode Foundation funded a $100,000 grant to cover the legal cost of the Contested Case to oppose the 138 kV Kamoku-Pukele Transmission line, for newspaper coverage to heighten public awareness of the CDUA Hearing, and for attendance at a Micropower Conference in San Francisco for two Malama members. Malama received four grants for MPI Talent to produce a CD of Music to enlighten the public on the cultural and historical significance of Waahila Ridge. They included $20,000 each from the Gerbode and Cooke foundations, and $10,000 each from the Atherton and other foundations. The Hawaii Community Foundation funded a $10,000 grant for a Public Environmental Education Campaign.

In 2002, the Gerbode Foundation funded a second $100,000 grant to cover the additional legal expenses for Malama's opposition to the 138 kV transmission line. The Strong Foundation funded a $50,000 grant for a Public Environmental Education Campaign. In June the BLNR denied HECO's permit to build the line on Wa'ahila Ridge, which was a major victory.

In 2003, Malama organized a far-reaching grassroots educational Kuleana Project funded by a Honolulu Board of Water Supply grant of $76,850 to educate residents of the Manoa Sub watershed on ways to preserve and protect our water resources.

FUND RAISING

In 2001, under the leadership of Recording Secretary Pat Avery, Malama raised $24,000 via letters of solicitation to its members. In 2002, again under Pat AveryĠs leadership, Malama raised $33,325. $10,730 (from 227 donors) was realized from the 2003 annual appeal. The Annual Appeal headed by Pat Avery in 2004 raised $17,213 (for 335 donors) and is planned again for September 2005. The monies are used to support Malama projects, programs and activities.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION GIVEN TO MALAMA

In 1994, the Honolulu City Council honored Malama o Manoa with a Certificate for outstanding leadership in community planning and preservation. 1995 brought recognition to President Mary Cooke, who was named by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin as one of the "10 People Who Made a Difference" in Hawaii in 1994. Governor Cayetano issued a special Proclamation in February recognizing the organization for its community building efforts and its role in the publication of Manoa, The Story of a Valley. 1995 also brought the Hawaii Chapter, American Society of Interior Designers award for historic preservation; the Historic Hawaii Foundation Preservation Commendation; the American Institute of Architects Hawaii Chapter Presidential Citation for promoting architectural awareness and appreciation; and the American Association for State and Local History award for its role in the publication of Manoa, The Story of a Valley.

On July 17, 2002, the Honolulu City Council presented Malama o Manoa with an Honorary Certificate in recognition of their preservation efforts and community spirit.

In April 2004, Malama o Manoa won the prestigious 2004 Environmental Award for Outstanding Achievement for its Kuleana Project from the Region IX of the EPA, along with only two other groups from the state. Volunteers of the Kuleana Project also received recognition from the City and the State.

RECOGNITION AWARDS GIVEN BY MALAMA

Malama o Manoa presented the first of its Recognition Awards at the October 2004 General Membership meeting. The awards were given to four home owners in recognition of their restoration of an existing home, or construction of a new home reflecting a traditional style of Hawaiian architecture. Also recognized was landscaping featuring Hawaiian plants and lava-rock-walls.

Revised February 2005

Page always under construction. History for 2005 still a work in progress.