MEDIA RELEASE

Kipimana Cup

Kamehameha-Hawaii and Kea`au will kick off the football season Saturday, Aug. 26, with their perennial goodwill game dubbed The Kipimana Cup.

“The start of the football season is part of the excitement of starting the new school year,” noted Bill Walter, president of W.H. Shipman, Limited. “The Kipimana Cup game was put together by Shipman, Kea`au and Kamehameha High Schools to both add to that excitement and to send a message to the community that we compete in a friendly way.”

Historically, Kamehameha Schools and Kea’au High School didn’t play against each other, being in different divisions — Kea’au being in Division 1 and Kamehameha being in Division 2. The Big Island Interscholastic Federation League ultimately changed that, but not before W.H. Shipman, Ltd. first pitched the annual Kipimana Cup seven years ago.

Kipimana is how Hawaiians referred to Shipman more than 100 years ago, and both Kea’au and Kamehamhea Schools are located on land formerly owned by Shipman.

W.H. Shipman provides $500 to each of the school’s booster clubs following the game, and a trophy to the winning team.

Kamehameha Schools has won all six of the previous Kipimana Cups, but neither Kamehameha or Kea`au have put any emphasis on that. The point has been to build comaraderie and goodwill amongst the private and public schools.

“We want to send a big mahalo to WH Shipman and Kamehameha-HI for the years of comaraderie and support,” said Iris McGuire, the athletic director for Kea`au High School. “I appreciate the aloha shared between the two schools and not making this event a rivalry.

“Both schools are active in our community,” McGuire said. “Our relationship with Kamehameha-HI continues to grow in a positive way. Over the years we have worked together in other aspects both academically and athletically. We may have different colors and different mascots, but when it comes down to it, we are still one community. Mahalo WH Shipman for your support!”

Walter expressed pride for Kea`au, noting how “privileged” we are “to work, study and live here.”

“How we approach and work with each other makes a real difference and we choose friendship and good will as the environment that we are creating,” Walter said. “This is a special community and we are focused on making it more special each year.”

Kamehameha School’s Hawai‘i campus opened on former W.H. Shipman land in 2001 and has an enrollment of a little over 1,000 students, grades K-12, while Kea‘au High School has an enrollment of 880 children, grades 9-12. The school first opened in 1998, also on Shipman property.

W.H. Shipman, for 130 years, has had approximately 17,000 acres in the Puna District, and is active in agriculture and commercial/ industrial development and leasing. Shipman holds a long-range view toward sustainability and planned development for balanced community use.

Saturday’s game will be held at Kamehameha Schools. Kickoff for the junior varsity game is at 5 p.m. The varsity game will follow. Expect to pay a nominal admission.

Contact Walter at 966-9325 for more details.