Beekeepers say mahalo

The Big Island Beekeepers Association owes much to all who contributed to make this year’s BIBA Challenge a success, beginning with all those who choose to take on the Challenge and send in their entries to be evaluated.

We also want to extend a special thank you to our judges, who labored seven hours on a Friday to rate all 52 entries. Mahalo to Lauren Rusert from the Hawaii State Apiary Program; Lorie Obra and Joan Obra of Rusty’s Hawaiian Coffee Farm and Isla Custom Coffee, and Sonia Martinez, writer for the Hamakua Times, Ke Ola Magazine and the Hawaii HomeGrown Food Network.

Mahalo to our many generous sponsors, whose donations helped our bottom line, and to our amazing volunteers who made it happen, and most of all our registrar, Pattie Rechtman, upon whose shoulders most of the organization and records keeping fell.

Thank you to Danielle Downey and Lauren Rusert of the State Apiarist Office who attended the event and made themselves available to the many beekeeper attendees who had lots to talk about.

We also wish to thank Alice Moon of the Downtown Improvement Association and Sam Robinson of Lets Grow Hilo for providing the venue and their helpers, who also contributed significantly to the overall organization of the event.

Cary Dizon

Big Island Beekeepers Association

www.bibahawaiibees.org