Twenty-seven members of the East Hawaii Kiwanis Club family helped clean, paint and weed the grounds of the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens on Dec. 8 and their work helped not only the zoo and its visitors, but the Neighborhood Place of Puna, as well.
Twenty-seven members of the East Hawaii Kiwanis Club family helped clean, paint and weed the grounds of the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens on Dec. 8 and their work helped not only the zoo and its visitors, but the Neighborhood Place of Puna, as well.
Because of the K-Family’s donation of time and energy to the community project, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation donated $10,000 to the Neighborhood Place of Puna, said Kiwanis project director Audrey Kagawa.
The Neighborhood Place of Puna provides programs and services to help parents raise safe and healthy children. Serving children is the primary focus of Kiwanis clubs worldwide.
“It was a really good event,” said Kagawa. “A great turnout, everyone enjoyed working at the zoo and our relationship with the Weinberg Foundation allows us to give back to the community in a really meaningful way.
“We are very grateful to the Weinberg Foundation.”
Zoo Director Pam Mizuno welcomed the crew of workers and thanked them for their help. The Kiwanis Club was joined by members of Circle K, one of its sponsored youth groups on the campus of the University of Hawaii at Hilo.
Projects included painting a newly donated chicken coop and a new greenhouse frame at the zoo’s maintenance yard. K-Family volunteers also fanned out over the zoo grounds, scrubbing the outdoor park benches and weeding the extensive landscaping on the grounds.
The Kiwanis Club of East Hawaii is part of Kiwanis International and celebrated its 50th anniversary in Hilo in October.