Our Timeline
Milestones in our mission to assist VA Memorial Organization on-site maintenance and improvements
Foundation & Growth
Our inaugural year marked the beginning of transformative community initiatives at Keehi VA Memorial Park. We established key support from our host Keehi Memorial Organization and launched weekly therapeutic programmed activities for Veterans.
Key Achievements:
- Established a plan to restore and rehabilitate Hajime Matsuura Hot House
- Adopted a therapeutic wellness approach for Veterans
- Formed partnerships with other local organizations
Gallery:
Expansion & Innovation
Building on our strong foundation, 2025 brings expanded program activities, and deeper community connections. Our vision of hope, healing, and growth continues to grow as we look to close out renovation and restoration efforts for the Hajime Matsuura Hot House.
Key Achievements:
- Expanded therapeutic garden areas
- Launched series of crafts and educational workshops
- Completed first phase of construction of Hajime Matsuura Hot House restoration
- Initiated environmental stewardship programs
Gallery:
Stewardship & Continuity
With the Hot House restoration largely behind us and the citizen-science program established, 2026 is the year we settle into the rhythm of stewardship — sustaining what we've built, broadening the slate of programming for Veteran participants, and deepening our partnerships with the host organization and the wider community.
Key Achievements:
- Transition from build-out to sustained garden and pond stewardship
- Expanded programming slate beyond therapeutic horticulture
- Year-round volunteer rotations supporting site upkeep
- Continued refinement of citizen-science protocols with partner labs
Honoring Dr. Ryder & the Garden Maintenance Team
In August 2026 the program stopped to recognize the people who carry it. Dr. Ryder, a key founder of the Manaʻolana Project, was honored at the Keʻehi host site, and team members were recognized for their leadership in plant and garden maintenance — the steady, week-in week-out work that keeps the gardens and the shade house going.
Recognized This Month:
- Dr. Ryder honored as a key founder of the Manaʻolana Project
- Team members recognized for leadership in plant and garden maintenance
- Participants, staff, and volunteers gathered together at the Keʻehi host site
Gallery:
Veterans as Storytellers
Moku Moʻolelo Media Training gives Veterans the craft to tell the stories of this place in their own voice. The first cohort convened August 5, 2026 with ʻŌlelo Community Media and is now gathering knowledge to serve the Manaʻolana team — the first steps of a pathway that carries veteran-authored film, audio, and photography to a broad public audience.
The First Cohort
Training began August 5, 2026 — the one date on this timeline that carried a commitment, and it was kept. In partnership with ʻŌlelo Community Media, cultural practitioners, and the VA, Veterans are learning video production, audio storytelling, and digital media — gathering knowledge, grounded in the moʻolelo of the Moanalua–Keʻehi ahupuaʻa, to serve the Manaʻolana team.
Underway — What the Cohort Is Doing:
- Cohort convened August 5, 2026 — training delivered by ʻŌlelo Community Media
- Cultural grounding in moʻolelo and place-based knowledge
- Veterans document the history and identity of Mapunapuna and Kalihi Kai
- Participants author and own the work they create
Production & Public Broadcast
What the cohort produces does not stay with us. Completed films, audio pieces, and photography are distributed through ʻŌlelo Community Media and other public channels, and gathered into a digital archive of the Moanalua–Keʻehi ahupuaʻa — including the legacy of the VA heroes memorialized at our host site and the community impacts of Transit Oriented Development.
Planned Work — Funded by Community Support:
- Place-based films and video featuring Kona Moku stories
- A digital archive of Mapunapuna and Kalihi Kai stories
- Distribution through ʻŌlelo Community Media and public broadcast channels
- Post-production support — editing, captioning, music licensing, accessibility
Makaʻi Fest — The Horizon
On September 27, 2027, Keʻehi Lagoon Memorial hosts a national stage for veteran-created media and music. Independent productions authored and owned by the Veterans who made them are screened for a broad public audience. This is the destination the August 5 cohort is walking toward — aspirational, and worth naming out loud.
What We Are Building Toward:
- September 27, 2027 at Keʻehi Lagoon Memorial, Oʻahu
- Screening independent productions authored and owned by Veterans
- National music lineup alongside Veteran performers
- Creator meet-and-greet and Q&A with the storytellers
Veterans as Citizen Scientists
Discover how our VA participants are participating in water quality protocols through hands-on environmental stewardship, combining therapeutic healing with meaningful scientific contribution to pond ecosystem restoration.
Water Quality Testing Protocol
VA participants emerge as citizen scientists in our groundbreaking water quality monitoring initiative. Through hands-on engagement with Genki Ball bio-remediation and systematic pond monitoring, Veterans contribute to both environmental restoration and therapeutic healing through meaningful scientific observation.
Key Achievements:
- Implemented Genki Ball making and bio-remediation protocols with participant-based approaches
- Developed standardized water quality testing procedures for garden pond systems
- Created observational study framework documenting pond ecosystem improvements
- Integrated therapeutic benefits of environmental stewardship into veteran wellness programs
Gallery:
Continuous Research & Development
Our water quality mission continues to evolve as we expand partnerships, refine methodologies, and deepen our understanding of pond ecosystem restoration. This ongoing initiative represents our commitment to long-term environmental stewardship and veteran engagement in meaningful citizen-scientific work.
Key Achievements:
- Expanding collaboration with SOEST lab at University of Hawaii
- Refining water chemistry testing protocols (pH, DO, conductivity)
- Developing comprehensive data collection app
- Strengthening citizen science training programs for Veterans
- Creating sustainable bio-remediation practices with Genki Balls