Let’s Celebrate!

By Barbara Bennett, For Kaua‘i Owner and Publisher

It’s celebration time for For Kaua‘i, a true community newspaper that started in 2011, and seven years prior to that as the former Kaua‘i People published by the former The Honolulu Advertiser.

We have news about important awards and new additions to our monthly publication. And we are disclosing for the first time to our readers our plans for a new glossy publication we intend to publish annually. After all, we are “All Local, All Community, All Kaua‘i.”

Now let me tell you the good news. April and May will be joyous and full of celebration. We have won the State of Hawai‘i 2016 Small Business Advocate in Media and Journalism Award, given by the Small Business Administration, Hawai‘i District Office. Mahalo to First Hawaiian Bank and its vice-president, Paul Endo, for nominating For Kaua‘i, which resulted in our award.

This important and prestigious SBA award is given to only 12 businesses in the state in different categories annually. This award brings me tears of joy, mostly because the main reason we publish our newspaper is our Kaua‘i community.

Becoming the owner and publisher of For Kaua‘i, with its ongoing print and website has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It has been really fulfilling to hear the accolades from residents and visitors who show their appreciation for our newspaper. Our cultural and community features — a much different format than daily news — follow a news model the community loves and embraces.

Following up on our pledge to promote Hawaiian culture, I’m excited to say we are welcoming kumu Puna Kalama Dawson as our Hawaiian culture consultant. I’ve known Puna for 20 years. Her commitment to hula, Hawaiian education, local culture and ‘ohana is extraordinary. Mahalo, Puna.

Yes, we are also celebrating because we are bringing to you in 2016 an extension of For Kaua‘i: We will be publishing a glossy magazine format, and we intend to make this an annual cultural publication. We will show Kaua‘i’s magnificence in its ʻāina, the land, in its people, in the spirit of aloha and in the rainbows that umbrella the mountains and pristine beaches of our island.

Barbara Bennett

I am proud of our more than five years publishing. I’m proud of the devotion and dedication of our staff that kept the vision alive. This vision held us on a straight course toward supporting Kaua‘i’s community and businesses with a high-standard product.

Keeping the community and neighbors informed about Kaua‘i helps to strengthen our connections in all levels. Families and neighbors are the base of any healthy community, and this community health ultimately filters into the whole island.

Yes, I am proud. Proud of living on Kaua‘i, proud of the people, places and everything making this beautiful island. And I’m proud of For Kaua‘i monthly publication.

But most of all, I’m thankful of the support this community has shown to For Kaua‘i. I love you, Kaua‘i. Let’s celebrate!