Posted on Apr 15th, 2007
by
sacred
I am grateful to have this time to reflect and share with you this beautiful vision of community Health and Wellness.
The conception of Green Source Hawai'i, has come through the life experience as a loving being of earth and her peoples. Since arriving on this beautiful aina, I have had the pleasure of the introduction of the true spirit of Aloha and the culture of this beautiful island of breath, it is my honor to stand with and for Hawai'i and her peoples
On the winter solstice December 21st 2005, we (Nicole and I d.b.a. Sacred Designs) held the first community meeting in the space at 79-7401 Mamalahoa Hwy to gather local community members to discuss the creation and operation of "Lokahi Village". Our eyes were set on the acquisition of the "old Ben Franklin building" located in Kainaliu town in the mauka village south of Kailua-Kona to become the gathering space of community health and wellness. At this time, we were actively negotiating the purchase of the building for months. The goal, complete a green retrofit of the building adhering to the then current LEED standards( a set of green standards established by the United States Green Building Council). After renovation the building would then be leased to individuals with the passion to create health and wellness through community. The plan consists of a Tea House, Local market with fresh fruits, flowers and juice, community art gallery wall, local kine crafts and performance and lounge area complete with recording studio downstairs with a day spa and yoga/dance/martial arts studio upstairs.
After many negotiations and the acknowledgment of the work, money and time involved, it was time to gather the troops. We then proceeded to develop business plans, renderings of the building and creative ways of financing the remodel and purchase. Aha! A Makeover TV show! Green Extreme Community Makeover TV. A way to gather the community together, inspire movement, celebrate diversity and attract sponsorship necessary to bring attention to the importance of greening our environment. A show that inspires creativity and action in communities across the globe, a way to bring consciousness into mainstream media. Through many efforts to raise community awareness, we drew attention of very few initially, partially due to exposure as well as our preparedness of the vision.
In May of the next year, our planning had developed substantially, attracting the interest of many partnerships and alliances, who simply wanted to see the team of community members who were going to show up and make it work. We held another meeting that May at a local zen boutique and attracted 70 or so community members(see article West Hawaii Today June, 4 2006). The buzz was created and the weeks following I continued to watch the community connections begin to occur. We have such a diverse and culturally rich community with widely spread resources that instantly as connections are made, great and magical events begin.
With much research and financial sacrifice we continued on the quest to establish a working plan to bring the vision into reality, and part of that reality was starting small and generate and gather the team and resources in order to create the larger picture. In October 2006 a local business owner informed us of a building coming available and she said we should check it out! 79-7412 Mamlahoa Hwy. , just south of the original building and it has the most substantial parking in town. So we start small! We have now rented the building and with a skeleton crew have begun the necessary steps to create a smaller template of the big vision.
Due to the cicumstances of Universal order, short of a month after signing the lease, our daughter Aleia, then 10 weeks old stopped breathing, and we rushed to the hospital on November 25th 2006. We are now, almost five months later, still in San Diego where we have been receiving care for her beautiful heart. In two weeks time, we are returning to the Big Island to bring her back to her home. So, with that said, for the last five months, the Green Source Center has taken a back seat until now. We have been coordinating with the core group there holding the space and keeping things alive.
At the new year, the community gathered together to create one of the most touching events I have ever experienced, Circus Joyous. This event was created as a fundraiser for Aleia and our family as well as the culmination of one community member's dream! A success already! Children were dressed as monkeys, performing fun feats of fantasm, stilt walkers hailed in the streets, pop corn and shave ice, face painting and musicians singing from the soul. These are the events that make it all work.
The largest initial challenge for me was to accept the role as leader amongst all the community to whom I've grown so connected to. I have felt for so long that I want to see what everyone else wants and contribute my piece to the pie! While I do agree this still stands true, my piece is grand, and it is due time now that I stand, in the face of all fears of any judgments and put these visions into action.
The vision which still stands strong is to create a local hub of resources, education and economic development based on the practices of sustainability and community economic investment. One of the key elements we are addressing, is the perpetuation of the local indigenous cultures. I have seen the large scale developers and mainland businesses come to this island with a focus on attaining the maximum profit potential of the island and her visitors. What we are creating here is a community based grass-roots movement that provides the island residents with a foundation of opportunity, as well as access to the resources to build community upon. We are creating a platform that will offer the local residents avenues of distribution of their crafts, services and produce, character and brings finacial benefit in return. In addition to this feature we are also creating a rich cultural environment in which tourists can visit to experience the true community of Hawaii. In comes the Green Source Center. This building will serve as a demonstration model and staging area highlighting the need for a larger scale presence across the street in the originally sought after building. One of the exciting aspects is the exploration of creating youth-managed ventures. It is time to empower our children so that they may stand.
The Green Source Center is offering:
Main council area for small workshops, yoga classes, movie nights, open mic, talk story night, teen night, intimate concerts etc. and will be available hourly/daily by reservation at minimal cost.
Sacred Space - a healing arts room available to community members to offer their services locally
Library - A multi disciplinary resource center with information ranging from conscious capitalism, hawai'ian root culture, sustainable building practices, permaculture and spirituality.
Local Kine Crafts- small area dedicated as an avenue to local crafters to distribute their creations.
Community art wall - a small community art space with revolving shows
Juice and Tea time - walk up window, with outdoor tables to bring the local kine produce to the pallete.
Peoples Market - Sunday outdoor market hosting farmers, musicians, crafters and sustainable technology vendors. The outdoor parking lot is home to a stage for entertainment for special events at other times as well.
Recycle Collection area - Mauka collection site with proceeds to benefit Green Source and local community organizations.
The vision of Green Source, Lokahi Village and Sacred Designs is to implement sustainable methods into the infrastructure of our growing communities here on the island and within our Global Community. It is a time where it is crucial for us as a society to step up and act responsibly for the benefit of own revival as well as the future generations to come. It is our vision to provide a sustainable model to experience, learn and then take the tools back to your home and implement the knowledge within your own lifestyles. The Green Source Center will also serve as a central Preparedness Center in case of natural disaster, offering information, meeting space, shelter etc.
Among the budding markets of today, emerges the LOHAS(lifestyles of health and sustainability) market, claimed by many forecast analysts to be the biggest boom in economic history, bringing in a whopping $240 billion in 2005. This clearly demonstrates the renewed interest that we as humans are taking in the healing of our selves our communities and our earth. In Hawai'i we will lead the movement in ALOHAS (abundant lifestyles of health and sustainability). The goal of Green Source is to bring this abundance into the homes and families that have been underserved to unite the low-income with the high-income with the no-income.
The next most challenging aspect, has been the development of a business structure that recognizes the social return as well as the financial profit. We are working closely with a format that closely resembles the structure of visionary John Mackey of Whole Foods. He demonstrates how the inspiration of business is focused on community impact as well as profitability. Donating 15% of all profits directly back into the community through non profit organizations, employees and community development.
We are creating a core equity partnership exploring all forms of energetic contributions, as well as core members from the community in areas of agriculture, education, health and wellness, music and arts, economic development and cultural wisdom to form a council in which we will base our foundation.
As we create this catalyst together we will discuss amongst ourselves the benefit of "local industry" and begin generating entrepreneurial economic development within our small communities. We have farms, crafters, artists, musicians, plenty talk story, and the wisdom of the elders, now it is time to focus on our youth, sustainable industry, local culture and creating all of the resources we need to live in abundance here on the island as community.
Everyone is welcome! It is time we stand for humanity and our earth. Love thy neighbor is no longer a simple piece of advice, it is required.
It takes the children to raise the village. Let's get them involved.
The core group as is consists of
Myself Keith Kavisic Social Architect founder and spearhead www.sacredceo.zaadz.com sacred808@aol.com
Nicole Windhausen (my partner in life) Wife and creative director and our daughter of course
Kaye Russell ( my mother ) god bless her and her ability to hold space kayeluna6@yahoo.com
Jim Channon - Strategist and North Kohala Community leader and elder jim@arcturus.org www.jimchannon.com www.arcturus.org
Delaney Mondragon - Roots people gatherer and town cryer - leading the recycling initiative dboogielounge@gmail.com
Benjammin Pritchard - Marketing and Event Production Currently on sabattical cruising the Marquesean Islands headchemists@gmail.com
Talia - Health and wellness - taliadawn@gmail.com
Joseph Culhane - recent recruit relocating from Minnesota to be Equity partner joseph.m.culhane@gmail.com
Sarabella Mondragon - Goddess of the Raw Food keeps it real for everybody soljus@gmail.com
Many more have come to support us
We have partnered with Greensong Hawaii, a non-profit 501 (c)3 organization dedicated to connect children of all ages to the soul of nature.
We are interested in creating alliances and partnerships with interested groups all across the spectrum
Important next step WEBSITE we are looking for a volunteer webdesigner to assist us in creating the GreenSource page
The current steps involve, creating beauty and warmth to the space to appeal to all walks, beautifying the parking lot and surrounding gardens.
Did I say we need volunteers?
Generating the interest of interested individuals, organizations, schools, businesses and communities.
Creating a community garden in the village of Kainaliu, establishing farm to school ag initiative getting local produce in the cafeterias and improving the school diet.
Develop a strong presence with the Peoples market.
Contact:
Keith Kavisic
Green Source Center
sacred808@aol.com
808-896-7261
Access: Public
Print
views (398)
Tagged with:
hawaii commuity development,
green,
earth,
hawaii,
hawaii island community,
sustainable communities,
organic agriculture,
lohas,
health and wellness in hawaii,
global responsibility,
conscious capitalism,
zaadz,
keith Kavisic,
kona,
kona hawaii,
green planet,
for the children,
love,
hula,
huna,
sacred,
kona development plan,
kainaliu,
kainaliu town hawAII