Page 7 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - Dec 1, 2021

DECEMBER 1, 2021 HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK 7 Investing in Our Future by Honoring Our Past
Community assistance needed to bring Portuguese center to fruition
Your child’s life is precious.
BY KYLE GALDEIRA
As the team behind the highly anticipat- ed Hawaii Island Portuguese Chamber of Commerce (HIPCC) Cultural & Educational Center makes its final push to raise funds to build the center, the help of the sur- rounding community is as crucial as ever.
The center is being planned to stand on the corner of Komohana and Ponahawai Streets in the heart of Hilo town, which fea- tures an idyllic view of Hilo Bay. Plans call for the 1,560-square-foot HIPCC Cultural & Educational Center to include space for up to 75 people to enjoy exhibits, work- shops, meetings, classes, family reunions and gatherings, community get-togethers, special events and celebrations.
“It is important to honor the Portuguese legacy before it is lost,” says Dr. Marlene Hapai, President and Executive Director of the HIPCC Cultural and Educational Cen- ter. “There is very little documented on Portuguese culture and contributions in Hawaii’s history books. Visitors to the cen- ter will leave with information on 29 voy- ages bringing Portuguese immigrants to Hawaii between 1878 and 1913 including surnames of all families, conditions of voy- ages, contributions of Portuguese to Hawaii upon arrival and through the present.”
The ongoing 2021-2022 Capital Cam- paign has a fundraising goal of $250,000 with multiple tiered options for potential donors. So far, the project has received some of the necessary funding from State of Hawaii grants-in-aid, County of Hawaii contingency funds, the Atherton Family Foundation, fundraising events, founding donors and individual, family and corporate donors. The ongoing fundraising push is crucial toward the center becoming reality.
“HIPCC had hoped to see the center open in September of 2018 to commemo- rate the 140th anniversary of the arrival of Hawaii’s first Portuguese immigrants, how-
ever, there is still much fundraising to do. We are asking the community, both locally and globally, to lend their financial support to make this center a reality,” Hapai says.
The HIPCC was established in 1982 to document, preserve and share the valuable contributions of the Portuguese to Hawaii’s history before the accounts and documen- tation are lost. The nonprofit organization is committed to preserving rich historical documents and accounts of explorations, ocean voyages of emigration, past and present contributions and assimilation into local communities, and, utilizing the latest technology, providing an opportunity for all of Hawaii’s immigrants to reunite with fam- ily and friends across the world.
“Through exhibits, programs, classes and events, the center will honor those ancestors who came before us and revive the Portuguese culture that has contributed to the Hawaii we know today,” Hapai says. “The Cultural & Educational Center will also share the ‘Age of Discovery’ that included Portuguese navigators worldwide. Locals and visitors can begin their research to gather more information about families.”
Tax-deductible contributions to the HIPCC Cultural & Educational Center can be made by visiting hipcc.org/cultural- and-education-center and donating through credit card or PayPal transactions. Donations can also be made by check ad- dressed to HIPCC Cultural & Educational Center and sent via mail to P.O. Box 1120, Hilo, Hawaii 96721.
For more information, contact Hapai at mhapai@aol.com, or call (808) 557-4540.
hipcc.org/cultural-and-education-center
Don’t wait.
Vaccinate.
Hoku and Emma, COVID-19 survivors
HawaiiCOVID19.com/Vaccine
The FDA has authorized the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 and above.