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Since the launch of Laulima Navy in October 2024, Sailors and civilians have worked alongside community members on Oahu and Kauai to support 100 projects and programs that benefit the community, residents and the environment.
“No matter where I have lived, I always believe in giving back to and being part of the community, showing commitment to being partners and working together,” said Rear Adm. Steve Barnett, commander of Navy Region Hawaii. “I’m proud of how many of our Navy team in Hawaii also believe and live this, giving of their time in off-duty hours to invest in and care for this beautiful place we are so fortunate to call home. And the scope and variety of work we are doing together is inspirational.”
Laulima Navy is a year-long initiative to celebrate the Navy’s 250th birthday by highlighting 250 acts of volunteerism. Sponsored by Commander, Pacific Fleet (PACFLT) and managed by Commander, Navy Region Hawaii (CNRH) Public Affairs, Laulima Navy underscores the Navy’s responsibility to the community and the myriad ways service members work alongside partners to give back to the community.
Laulima, a Hawaiian value meaning “many hands working together,” is a principle that the Navy understands well. Teamwork, service to others and a commitment to the greater good are values Navy personnel hold in high regard.
Over that last five months, Navy volunteers have joined other service members and community volunteers to support efforts large and small that address the needs of the community:
-More than 120 Navy personnel on Oahu kicked off Laulima Navy on Oct. 19, 2024 by cleaning the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail and Bike Path. Service members and civilians joined rotary clubs, community groups and the City & County of Honolulu to pick up trash and debris from the heritage site, which serves as an important historic, cultural and natural resource for the community. Volunteers collected nearly 12 tons of trash from 10 clean-up spots along a 7-mile section. The bike path stretches 18.6 miles from Halawa Landing to Nanakuli, linking Leeward neighborhoods, historic sites, recreational areas, regional attractions, and nature along the old Oahu Railway & Land Company right-of-way.
-Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam personnel and family members along with Sailors and civilians helped the Salt Lake community make 1,000 microbial Genki mud balls to help remove bacteria and pollutants from the Salt Lake Waterway without negatively impacting or altering the natural ecosystem. After a week of curing, volunteers tossed the hardened mud balls into the waterway. Genki balls have microorganisms that improve the ecosystem by enriching and revitalizing the vegetation and improving the odor and appearance of the water in the lake.
-Nearly every weekend, Karina Wise-Estrada, a community relations specialist at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Facility, and her three-and-a-half-year-old Labradoodle provide comfort to people who want and need it as part of the Hawaiian Humane Society Pet Visitation Program. Wise and Sir Newton visit Kaiser Permanente Medical Center and the Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System where they spend time with patients, family members, and staff. The visits help reduce anxiety, provide relief from loneliness and enhance well-being. “Everyone knows Newton,” said Jacqueline Fernando, operations manager, volunteer services, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Market. “The visits are a huge morale booster.”
-Twice a month, a small but committed team of Navy personnel join community volunteers for Haiku Valley culture service work. The regularly scheduled workdays are sponsored by Koʻolau Foundation and include removing invasive species, planting native plants, and learning about the Native Hawaiian culture and practices. Koʻolau Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of Native Hawaiian historic sites and cultural properties and to educating others about these important places.
-Members of Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai joined Mālama Hulēʻia at the 600-year-old Alakoko Fishpond near Līhue for a community workday. The fishpond has been described as “one of the finest examples in the entire archipelago of prehistoric stonework and fishpond construction.” Mālama Hulēʻia leads community efforts to remove invasive mangrove along Hulē‘ia River, re-establish native wetland ecosystems, manage Alakoko Fishpond, and engage the community through environmental stewardship programs that honor Hawaiian culture and values.
Navy volunteers have supported the community in many other ways including participating in Adopt-A-Highway on Kauai; distributing food for The Pantry by Feeding Hawaii Together; providing support for the Aiea Christmas Parade; offering hands-on activities at the Girl Scouts STEM Fest; donating blood; hosting school visits to Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Facility; participating in work days at Loko i‘a Pā‘aiau; and organizing canned food and toy collection drives for Hawaii Food Bank and Toys for Tots. Dozens of individuals also regularly volunteer with Native Hawaiian organizations, community groups, non-profit organizations, arts programs and youth sport groups in their free time.
“Our commitment to the community will continue well beyond 2025. It’s an enduring promise that is part of the Navy mission,” said Barnett.
To learn more about Laulima Navy or share a community service story, visit greatlifehawaii.com/Laulima or email Laulima2025@us.navy.mil.
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.28.2025 14:48 |
| Story ID: | 491781 |
| Location: | HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 61 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Laulima Navy: Military Members and Civilians Support 100 Community Service Projects, by Raquel Cloma, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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