#Kalaupapa #KalaupapaMemorial

Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa's dreams coming closer to fruition after 20 years Governor David Ige signs Senate Bill 3338 – The Kalaupapa Memorial funding bill for $5 million – with key supporters looking on. From left: Valerie Monson, Executive Director of Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa; UH President David Lassner; Senator Brian Taniguchi; Danette Wong Tomiyasu, Deputy Director of Health Resources, the State Department of Health; Governor Ige; DeGray Vanderbilt, Legislative Liaison for Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa; Hitoshi Hida, architect who created the design for the Memorial; Senator Lynn DeCoite; Kalaupapa descendant Nainoa Woodward and his grandparents, Margaret and Aaron Wong. Ka ‘Ohana supporters are holding photos of Kalaupapa leaders Bernard Punikai`a, Boogie Kahilihiwa and Kuulei Bell who have all died and are buried at Kalaupapa. Photo courtesy of the Office of Governor David Ige. 7/1/2022: Governor David Ige has signed a bill passed by the State Legislature that appropriates $5 million to plan and build a memorial honoring the thousands of men, women and children once isolated on the Kalaupapa Peninsula of Moloka‘i. Ige signed the bill on June 29th in a ceremony in his offices at the State Capitol. The Governor singled out Senators Lynn DeCoite and Brian Taniguchi for their persistence in leading the effort in the State Senate to pass the bill to fund The Kalaupapa Memorial. Ige also praised Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa, the nonprofit organization made up of Kalaupapa residents, family members and friends that proposed the legislation and worked with lawmakers throughout the process. “Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa has been working towards this Memorial for almost 20 years,” he said. “Their determination and dedication to honoring the people of Kalaupapa is an inspiration to all of us...the emotional [...]