Categorized | Volunteering

Pleasures, treasures at Malaai School Garden ‘Art & Sol’ (June 2)

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Delicious pleasures and treasures that touch the heart and soul of life on Hawaii Island could be yours at the 6th Annual Malaai School Garden “Art & Sol” Benefit Auction from 12:30-3 p.m., Sunday, June 2 at Merriman’s Restaurant in Waimea.

Intended to support healthier kids and community and a more sustainable planet, and timed to nearly coincide with the Summer Solstice, “Art & Sol” tickets are $50 per person and may be purchased via PayPal at www.malaai.org, or by calling Alethea Lai at 989-7861.

Included in the exceptional gathering of “live” and silent auction treasures are:

* Breathtaking kapa by master Roen Hufford

* A stunning 8’x4’ mural photograph of snow-capped puu atop Mauna Kea, taken by CFHT’s high powered camera

* A Private Sunset Sail on a 55’ Ketch

* Gourmet Locavore Feasts by Private Chefs Paired with Vintage Wines

* A Meditation Walk to reconnect with nature in Iole land division of North Kohala, or, a day hike, waterfall swim and lunch along Waipio Valley rim

* Farmer Charles Oldfather and three handsome gardener friends building a raised garden bed for your home

* Original native hardwood and stained glass collectors’ pieces by island artisans

* A koa-framed, signed “Paniolo” blockprint by Hawaii’s revered turn-of-the-century artist Juliet Frasier

* A large Ethan Tweedie giclee on canvas photograph of one of a beloved Waimea “wahi pana” – a favorite and sacred place – the waterfall cascading into Anna Pond

* Golf for four plus lunch at Hualalai Resort

* Two nights at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel plus a private tour of the Laurance Rockefeller Asian and Pacific Art Collection and breakfast

* An Escorted Private Tour for Four of the W.M. Keck Observatory atop Mauna Kea plus lunch

* Creation and installation of a custom “water feature” for your home or business by Kai Pono Builders

* A healthy, grass-fed 800-pound steer (approx. 400 pounds of grass-fed beef)

* Fresh Fruit or Vegetable Baskets, certificates for restaurants, facials, massages and more.

Malaai:The Culinary Garden of Waimea Middle School is Hawaii Island’s model school garden, which was first planted eight years ago as an outdoor living classroom to grow real change for Waimea’s children and community.

From the beginning, Malaai has been funded almost entirely by generous community friends and foundations as a private not-for-profit partnership with Waimea Middle School.

Patterned after Chef Alice Waters’ highly regarded Edible School Yard in California and run by respected educators Amanda Rieux and now Holly Sargeant-Green, the program integrates nutrition education and cultural and environmental stewardship with core curriculum and hands-on learning.

More than 2,300 pairs of student hands and hundreds of community volunteers have worked side-by-side to carve the ¾-acre organic Malaai garden out of a former Parker Ranch kikuyu grass pasture.

Students harvested more than 4,500 pounds of fresh food from Malaai during the past school year to be tasted and shared with fellow students, families and community friends.

Intended initially to help address youth nutrition issues including obesity and diabetes in an age of fast food, Malaai has transformed Waimea Middle School by teaching students about where their food comes from and why and how they are connected to each other and to their environment.

In recent years, Malaai has become more integrated into core curriculum, connecting hands-on garden lessons to science, language arts, social studies and math, as well as health and physical education.

Malaai has inspired students and families to begin to grow some of their own food in home gardens, and has helped students learn to enjoy and prepare fresh locally grown foods.

All auction items have been donated by a Hawaii Island artist or patron to support Malaai.

“Art & Sol” will include delicious Merriman’s garden and farm fresh pupu paired with wine or a signature garden cocktail.

Auctioneer for the event will be Pat Batchelder of Waimea.

— Find out more:
www.malaai.org

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