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Building Homes, Building Lives

October/November 2013

Get Great Values at Silent Auction, Nov. 8, 9, 10

If you're looking for a great way to get some incredible local values while also supporting affordable housing through Hilo Habitat for Humanity, come to Prince Kuhio Plaza on Friday, Nov. 8 through Sunday, Nov. 10 to participate in Hilo Habitat's Fourth Annual Silent Auction. Look for the Habitat display table, sign up to get your bid number, and then bid on the items of your choice. Participating vendors this year include: Hilo Guitars, Kilauea Lodge, Kapohokine Adventures, ATV Outfitters Hawaii, Waipio Ride the Rim, Car Clean Hawaii, Hilo Surfboard Company, 'Ahiu Hawaii, Roy's of Waikoloa, Neptune Charlie's Ocean Safaris, Manta Ray Dives of Hawaii, and others.

"We're so fortunate to have such widespread community support. Thanks to our generous vendors, we can offer some of the best of our island through this silent auction as a means of building more affordable housing here in East Hawaii," said Julie Hugo, president of Hilo Habitat for Humanity and a Hawaii Island REALTOR.

"This event is a lot of fun and we love having different ways for the community to get involved in affordable housing," said Silent Auction chair and Hilo Habitat board member Michele Robles.

Vendors who wish to donate a product or service for the auction may make their donation before Nov. 4 by contacting Michele Robles via email at michele_robles@yahoo.com or by calling 640-2407.

Mahalo Build-a-Thon 2013 Sponsors & Participants

Hilo Habitat participated in the seventh annual statewide Hawaii Habitat Build-a-Thon on September 14 by moving and prepping tools for our next partner family home building project. A big thank you to our statewide event sponsors, including HomeStreet Bank, Honsador Lumber, First Hawaiian Bank, Capital One, Wells Fargo Bank, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Mahalo, also, to our Build-a-Thon participants. Shown above, from left to right, are Hilo Habitat Board President Julie Hugo, Anthony Robles, Mario Robles, and Hilo Habitat Board Member Jake Bierman of Bierman Home Inspections. (Not shown: Board Member Michele Robles.)

If you're interested in volunteering for construction on our Hawaiian Beaches home or to assist in our ReStore, please sign up online.

HomeStreet Bank Gifts Hilo Habitat

HomeStreet Bank's Hilo Mortgage Manager Angie Warren presented a $5,000 corporate donation to Hilo Habitat President Julie Hugo to support affordable housing in East Hawaii, at the Building Community Expo/Walk, held September 21, 2013 at Prince Kuhio Mall. The Expo/Walk was sponsored by Hawaii Island REALTORS, Hilo Habitat for Humanity, and General Growth Properties. The HomeStreet gift will be used to help Hilo Habitat build its 11th home. From left to right are some of Hilo Habitat's board members: Pastor John Trusdell/Living Waters Assembly of God Church, Eric Scicchitano/HPM, and Randy Church/HomeStreet Bank. Photo credit: Randall Duryea.

Expo/Walk Offers One-Stop Info & Connections

Have you ever wanted to get home information from a variety of sources but found yourself putting it off because you thought it would be too time-consuming? At the Building Community Expo/Walk, getting information was both easy and fun. Held Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013 at Prince Kuhio Mall, walkers had the chance to visit with a variety of home experts, collect rubber stamps toward prizes, and enjoy live entertainment, all while raising money for affordable housing. The event was sponsored by the Hawaii Island REALTORS, General Growth Properties, and Hilo Habitat for Humanity. The Expo/Walk is an outgrowth of the very successful Project Playhouse partnership from the past two years.

"We designed the Expo/Walk to be walker schedule friendly because walkers could start anytime between 10 a.m. and 1:30. They could stop and talk with more than 20 home experts, all in one convenient location. Then, we gave away more than 30 prizes at the end of the walk. Lots of people got connected to the information and people they needed, all while supporting affordable housing, which was very exciting," said Hilo Habitat Board President Julie Hugo.

A big mahalo to event sponsors, home experts, and walkers. Home experts included: Alert Alarm, Aloha Insurance Services, Backyard Monkey Tree Services, Bierman Home Inspections, Big Island Electrical Services, Dennis Delfin Contracting, HPM Building Supply, Island Boundary, K&R Consultants, Kitchen & Beyond, ProVision Solar, Rising Sun, Veteran Termite & Pest Control, Vinylscape Fencing, HouseMaster, and others.

Thanks, too, to prize donors, event supporters, and entertainers, including: HomeStreet Bank, American Savings Bank, Bierman Home Inspection, Resolution Gym, Title Guaranty, Sharkey's Coffee, Starbucks, Pageant Nails, Native Flesh Tattoo, Kindred Souls, Dayle Tejada & Band, and Zumba Instructor Jamie Vezina.

To see Expo/Walk event photos, please visit our online photo gallery.

Hilo Habitat Seeks New Volunteer Coordinator

Do you enjoy working with people while getting things accomplished? Is affordable housing in East Hawaii an important issue that you want to work on with others? Then consider becoming a volunteer coordinator with Hilo Habitat for Humanity.
This volunteer position requires about 2 to 4 hours per week and is fairly flexible in terms of days and times.
For more details, you can read the full job description here. If you have questions, please email Adrienne Eisele.

In This Issue

Silent Auction, 11/8-10

Need Volunteer Coord.

Kipapa Partner Family Update

-Bamboo & Teak Furniture

-Balancing Monkey Yoga

Special thanks to Bamboo & Teak Furniture, which recently donated 10 king-size mattress sets to our ReStore, as well as 6 beautiful desks. You never know what great bargains we have at our ReStore! Visit our ReStore at 700 Manono Street in Hilo, M-F 9-5 and Saturdays, 8-4.

We'd also like to thank Balancing Monkey Yoga, which donated 100% of their Friday community class fees to Hilo Habitat for Humanity during the entire month of October. Thank you for your community support!

Gabe & Sandy Kipapa

Partner Family Update

It's been 10 years since the Kipapa family moved into their Hilo Habitat home and the good news of the home keeps on giving. Not only have the Kipapas raised their own six children in that home but they continue to be strong supporters of Hilo Habitat and have encouraged four other families to apply and partner to build homes as well.

"We love to support Hilo Habitat and help with fundraisers and awareness because you folks made our dreams come true!," says Sandy Kipapa.

It took about 18 months for the Kipapas and Hilo Habitat volunteers to build the four-bedroom home in Keaukaha for the family. Three of the six children still live at home today. Before Hilo Habitat, the whole family lived in a two-bedroom severely termite-damaged home. They were interviewed by some of Hilo Habitat's founding members at Church of the Holy Cross and were so excited to be selected as a partner family.

Neighbors also participated, with one friend contributing most of the concrete foundation work. Other friends donated their professional plumbing and electrical services to help build the house at a lower cost. Hilo Habitat was also able to provide a solar hot water system to save on electrical costs and a computer to assist the children with their homework.

Sandy and Gabe continue to share their Hilo Habitat for Humanity story each year at the Keaukaha Ho`olaulea, where they host a Hilo Habitat reunion and commemorative walk.

If you're interested in making more affordable housing available in East Hawaii, please make an online donation, volunteer, or donate to or shop at our ReStore, 700 Manono Street.