On June 10, East Hawaii residents took the time to volunteer with Blue Zones Project. Together, 39 volunteers helped sort over 36,000 pounds of food for our Hawaii Island Food Basket! Mahalo to our awesome volunteers who contributed their valuable time and energy to help make a difference in our community.

Three Blue Zones Project community events were held last month at the Naalehu Community Center. Residents enjoyed a cooking demonstration with Gayle Yogi from Saladmasters, a gardening demonstration with Russell Nagata, and a Power of Purpose workshop with facilitator Doug Connors.

For the cooking demo, Gayle prepared a delicious vegetarian lasagna and a zesty ABC Salad made with apples, beats and carrots - both were a huge hit! The salad dressing was simple - made only with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest from an orange peel. These recipes may seem basic, but they sure were packed with flavor and nutrients! 

The gardening demonstration was very well attended and Russell taught attendees all about starting their own potted gardens with different types of herbs and vegetables such as green onion, rosemary, lemon grass, garlic, lettuce, and bok choy. Guests even got to go home with plants of their own! 

The Power of Purpose workshop received rave reviews from participants who were inspired to share their newly discovered gifts and talents with others in the community. One attendee asked, "When is the next workshop? My daughter would love to participate!" If you are in the Ka`u area and missed the wonderful events in Naalehu, please join us for the upcoming events in Pahala. More events will be scheduled throughout the East Hawaii community, so be sure to check our events page frequently for updates. 

Moai^® (pronounced "Mo Eye") are walking groups of 5-8 people that meet at least once a week to walk throughout the community. The word "moai" comes from Okinawa, Japan and means "meeting for a common purpose." In Okinawa, neighbors use moais as support systems to help those in need. The small size of the groups allows members to focus on building strong friendships—and those social connections are as vital to well-being as the exercise! 

Moai teams are formed at the end of every Blue Zones Project event in East Hawaii. If you're interested in joining or forming a moai in your community, be sure to check our website for upcoming events. If you would like to launch Walking Moai teams at your work place, register your organization to participate in Blue Zones Project.