(BIVN) – North Hawaiʻi’s first responders will again be honored with a special community dinner this week in Waimea. 

The annual “Mahalo First Responders” event will be held from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., on Wednesday, November 13, at Mana Christian ‘Ohana’s Kahilu Town Hall. 

The dinner gathering – hosted by the Waimea Community Association – is being held in lieu of WCA’s monthly first Thursday town meeting. It is being held on a Wednesday to avoid conflicting with the weekly Thursday Community Meal at St. James.  

Emergency responder honorees will include Waimea Station 9, South Kohala Station 14, Waikoloa Station 16, Kohala Station 15, Kona Station 7, Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) Anekona 9 Bravo, VFD Waiki’i 9 Alpha, VFD Kohala 14 Alpha, VFD Pu’uanahulu 16 Bravo, VFD Pa’auilo 8 Alpha, VFD Kona 7 Bravo, and Ocean Safety officers for West Hawai’i. Also to be saluted will be Hawai’i County Police Department, Waimea Police Department, Hawai’i County Civil Defense, the Waimea Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), first responders from Pohakuloa Training Area, staff at Queen’s North Hawai’i Community Hospital, HELCO’s Waimea Linesmen and Lineswomen, Department of Land and Natural Resources’ DOCARE and DOFAW officers, County of Hawai’i Department of Public Works including the Waimea road crew, and Hawai’i Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO).

file image from video courtesy Waimea Community Association

From a Waimea Community Association news release:

The dinner gathering is free and all are invited. It will begin with a pule by Kimo Ho’opai of Mana Christian ‘Ohana, followed by an ‘oli by Kanu o ka ‘Aina haumana. Dinner – set to music by Waimea musician Ryan Hooley – will be prepared by Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Merriman’s Big Island, Waimea Butcher Shop, FORC, The Fish and The Hog, Earl’s, Ippys Hawaiian BBQ, Dom De Luca, Oy’s Fusion, Pau Pizza, Two Ladies Kitchen, Puako General Store, Mo Betta Farm, Pa’ina by Ocean, Tropical Dreams Ice Cream and Waiakea Water. Assisting with making the free gathering possible are a number of business friends including Waimea Instant Printing, Canada France Hawai’i Telescope, Goodfellow Bros., Isemoto Contracting, Jas. W. Glover, LTD, Queen Emma Land Company, Dr. Michaela Martin, Orchid People, and Ainahua Floral.

“This is the 8th year WCA is honoring first responders, and while many of these individuals humbly insist they are just doing a job they get paid for, these men and women deserve our gratitude more than ever in these challenging times,” said Nancy Carr Smith, WCA President and the dinner’s coordinator.

Special acknowledgements will be made to Darryl Oliveira, former Hawai’i County Fire Chief and Civil Defense Administrator, who was asked by Maui Mayor Richard Bissen after the horrific August 2023 wildfires to head Maui’s emergency response. Also, Hawai’i County Fire Chief Kazuo Todd will be honored for his exemplary efforts to keep our island safe and better prepared while also providing statewide leadership with other county fire departments in partnership with state and federal agencies and the Hawai’i State Legislature. WCA and the community will also salute recently passed Guido Giacometti for his contributions in the arena of truly affordable housing and securing funding to support the 9Bravo volunteer fire responders in Anekona

Joining WCA with presentations will be Hawai’i County Mayor Mitch Roth and County Council Chair Heather Kimball. Hawai’i Gov. Josh Green and members of the state’s Congressional delegation will be conveying their appreciation with recorded messages. Also contributing will be students from all Waimea schools who are making personalized mahalo cards for the responders.

The gathering will again spotlight the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation with Dr. Frank Sayre and Laura Mallery-Sayre, who have led an extraordinary 17+-year fundraising effort to ensure Hawai’i County first responders have the essential equipment and training needed.

In keeping with the emergency preparedness theme, guests will be offered a free box of NARCAN by volunteers with the Hawai’i Island Fentanyl Task Force to ensure readiness in the event of encountering someone experiencing an opioid overdose.

For questions regarding WCA, email WaimeaCommunityAssociation@gmail.com, or call Nancy Carr Smith (808) 896-2239.