Vocational Service Winners and Honorary Member Award

 

The Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset is proud to announce that this year’s Vocational Service Award winners are 5A Rent-A-Space and Malama Maui Nui. The Vocational Service Award is presented annually to a business, individual, non-profit or other organization that provides outstanding service to the community and the club. Accepting the award on May 2 for 5A were Maria and Victor Terra and for Malama Maui Nui, Deputy Director Gabrielle Schuerger and Community Relations Specialist Megan Moseley.

 

“These Vocational Service Award recipients are selected for demonstrating integrity through high ethical behavior, which is the foundation of Rotary,” said the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset’s (RCLS) interim president Joanne Laird. “The recipients provide a road map for principled behavior in the workplace and other areas of life and truly demonstrate the Rotary philosophy of “Service Above Self,” she said.

 

5A Rent-A-Space has been in the storage business for over 45 years and their success lies in their extensive knowledge of the industry and in their commitment to serving their customers. “We are honored to work closely with 5A to sponsor the monthly Go Green recycling program,” said Katie Zimmerman, RCLS Community Service Director. “They are a great project partner and manager Liz May and her hard-working staff also support many of our other community service efforts by providing their expertise in print and media communications,” she said.

 

Malama Mui Nui is a nonprofit organization focused on environmental protection. Through various programs ranging from beach clean ups to targeting illegal dump sites, Mālama Maui Nui aims to educate, inspire, and empower individuals and communities to beautify and maintain Maui Nui’s environment, thereby supporting its economy, quality of life, and unique Hawaiian culture.

 

Malama Maui Nui has been an integral part of the club’s third Saturday recycling project, providing staff and transportation support. “We are grateful for the invaluable contributions of Malama Maui Nui to our monthly recycling project,” said RCLS Vocational Service Director Heidi Dollinger. “Their participation and commitment is an excellent example of how to develop successful community partnerships.”

 

Also at the May 2 meeting, Grammy Award winning slack key guitarist “Uncle” George Kahumoku Jr. was awarded the club’s first honorary membership.

 

Guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, teacher, artist, writer, farmer and entrepreneur, Kahumoku is fondly called “Hawaii’s renaissance man.” In 2003, he co-created Maui’s first slack key guitar venue, which is currently at Napili Kai Beach Resort. The first CD produced from live recordings of the show, “Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, Volume 1: Live in Concert from Maui” won a Grammy Award for Best Hawaiian Album. Three of the four nominated sequels to this recording also won Grammy Awards. His newest CD is “Kahumoku: Priest of the Land.”  

 

“George Kahumoku Jr., like our vocational award recipients, represents the spirit of Rotary in his service to our community,” said Joanne Laird. “He unselfishly donates his time and energy all over Maui County, providing his musical talents for many organizations free of charge and we are privileged to make him an honorary member of our club.”