Kona Historians & Kohala Conservationist to be Honored

Native forest on Kohala Mountain. Photo credit: Jenny Ersbak.

The National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution Hawaii Loa Chapter, Ke Kowa i Hawaii, will recognize and honor members for preservation of Kona’s history and for conservation of the Kohala District dryland forest.

Award presentations will be held on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016, in the Council Chambers at the West Hawaii Civic Center in Kailua-Kona.

From 10 to 10:20 a.m. a reception for the honorees will be held in Conference Room A, followed by the DAR chapter meeting and award presentations in the Council Chambers at 10:30 a.m. The meeting and presentations are expected to end at 12:30 p.m.

NSDAR awards members by giving the NSDAR Community Service Award, Historic Preservation Recognition Award, and the Conservation Medal.

The NSDAR Community Service Award gives chapters and states a way to recognize outstanding achievements of deserving individuals or groups for their voluntary achievements in historical, humanitarian, educational, cultural, patriotic, and environmental conservation ventures.

The NSDAR Community Service Award recipients are Ann Kern and the Kona Historical Society.

The Kona Historical Society is a nonprofit community organization, founded in 1976, to share and preserve the rich history of the districts of Kona. Member, Ann Kern, created a lecture series on pertinent historical topics about Kona’s history. The talks are offered free monthly to the island community and are given by coordinators and speakers donating their time.

Kern currently coordinates the lecture series and serves as the lead interpreter for the Kona Historical Society’s Kailua Village Walking Tour and the Greenwell Store Living History Museum.

The NSDAR Historic Preservation Recognition Award recognizes all achievements in preserving history. From preservation of historic landmarks, documents, and statutes to serving as oral historians, guides, and historical interpreters.

Daughters of Hawaii and the Calabash Cousins are the NSDAR Historic Preservation Recognition Award recipients.

Together the Daughters of Hawaii and the Calabash Cousins restored and still currently maintain the only two furnished palaces used by Hawaiian Royalty in the U.S. On Hawaii Island, is the national treasure, Hulihe‘e Palace and on Oahu is the summer palace of Queen Emma. For visitors, Hulihe‘e Palace is one the first places they visit. The palace serves as a teaching tool for visitors and as living history for the local community.

Seven local women aiming to preserve their culture, started the Daughters of Hawaii in 1903. The Calabash Sisters, of the Daughters of Hawaii, was established in 1986 to help fundraise and help with preservation efforts.

The NSDAR Conservation Medal recognizes adult volunteers who have distinguished conservation records which include extraordinary efforts in nature and wildlife centers. Conservation efforts from education, media, resource management, and youth leadership, to park establishment are recognized.

Recognizing her extraordinary contribution and outstanding efforts to restore the Kohala dryland forests, Beverly Brand, is the NSDAR Conservation Medal recipient. In 2004, the wiliwili trees were in jeopardy of becoming extinct. Brand obtained the lease for land with 275 acres and turned it into the Waikoloa Dry Forest Preserve. Not only did Brand help recover and protect a rare and endangered endemic plant but her efforts created local jobs and educational opportunities for youth to learn hands on about conservation while participating in educational activities.

Waikoloa Dry Forest is now considered one of the best dry forests on the Big Island and continues to inspire others.

The National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution is a service organization created to preserve history, encourage patriotism,and provide support for improved national education. NSDA was founded in 1890 by descendants of citizens that won independence fighting the Revolutionary War. Consisting of approximately 3,000 chapters and over 183,000 members worldwide, DAR is one of the largest and most active service organizations in the world.

The West Hawaii Civic Center is located at 74-5044 Ane Keohokaole Highway.

DAR logo.