‘Revitalize Puna’ event slated for next week

Puna residents and other community members can discuss eruption recovery actions and resilience at an event next week.

“Revitalize Puna” is the first of what is a planned quarterly event focused on building community resilience and distributing recovery information following the 2018 Kilauea eruption.

“Recovering from a natural disaster and building community resilience takes everyone,” said Douglas Le, County disaster recovery officer. “We encourage Puna residents to join us at this event, learn more about recovery and resilience activities, and become part of building a stronger Puna.”

The event will include five stations focused on different aspects of “resilience” — social, cultural, economic, environmental, and infrastructural resilience — that will feature a series of projects that residents can learn about. Attendees will be able to contribute to the area’s recovery by forming Resilience Action Teams, which encourage community-based actions that can receive support from the county.

“Revitalize Puna is an opportunity to bring County and community members together to increase trust, collaboration, and to foster collective action,” said Puna Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz. “By activating Resilience Action Teams, we align resources and actions that will drive our community forward.”

The event will take place Wednesday, June 9, from 3:30-7 p.m. at the Leilani Estates Pavilion and Community Center. In order to accommodate COVID-19 protocols, participants are asked to register for one of three time slots — beginning at 3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. — at recovery.hawaiicounty.gov/planning/community-engagement/art-contest/revitalize-puna.