Have you ever found yourself reminiscing about the past as you walk through Chinatown, down Front Street in Lahaina or past the Palace Theater in Hilo? How about that summer vacation when you took the kids to Hawai‘i Island to scout out petroglyphs? What if one day you noticed these special places were gone? Suddenly your favorite old house was a parking lot, or the mom and pop business with the quaint historic storefront was nowhere to be seen. Maybe you’ve already seen changes like these that gnaw at your heart. What will remain to tell the stories of days gone by? How will your children, nieces and nephews (and their children) learn about these special places that tell the stories of Hawaii’s diverse past? These are especially poignant losses to bear because Hawai‘i, a place like no other, shares a history that is unique in the world.
It takes a village to raise a child, but it also takes one to save a place. The road there is lined with Preservation Heroes. Take Alfreida Fujita. Living with her grandparents who migrated from Japan, she developed a passion for history which led her to want to preserve the lifestyle of Kona. Her love of the past, hard work and perseverance eventually helped create the Kona Coffee Living History Farm.
While heroes like Alfreida are invaluable, preservation victories require full community engagement and long-term commitment. Since 1974, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation has been fighting the good fight to preserve Hawaii’s historic places.
As the only statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to preservation, the most effective way to ensure our place at the tables that make decisions related to development and preservation affecting historic sites is through your support. Consistent funding allows us to advocate for preservation-friendly legislation, educate communities and inspire individuals, organizations and communities to care and fight the good fight with us.
That is why we are calling on you who care about preserving these places, to join us as a monthly donor and become part of our circle of Wahi Pana Stewards. It’s fast, easy, convenient and highly effective.
We’ll be Hawaii’s preservation watchdog, monitoring development projects while championing preservation efforts and educating the community.
For a small monthly gift, we’ll ensure this voice is heard and concerns addressed. Together, we can and will preserve and protect these special places.