6 min read
East Hawaii December Community Update
Topics: Blue Zones Project - Hawaii Blue Zones Project Approved Blue Zones Project - East Hawaii
9 min read
East Hawaii October Community Update
Topics: Blue Zones Project - Hawaii Blue Zones Project Approved Blue Zones Project - East Hawaii
12 min read
East Hawaii September Community Update
Nourish Your Neighbor Food Drive & Volunteer Opportunity
Topics: Blue Zones Project - Hawaii Blue Zones Project Approved Blue Zones Project - East Hawaii
6 min read
East Hawaii August Community Update
First Approved Restaurant in East Hawaii!
Congratulations to Sweet Cane Café for being the FIRST Blue Zones Project Approved™ restaurant in East Hawaii! Serving healthy, local, organic ingredients, Sweet Cane Café is a family-run, farm-to-table restaurant that embraces the “Plant Slant” principals of Blue Zones Project®. "We are excited to partner with Blue Zones Project to promote community health," said owner Cherub Silverstein.
They celebrated by hosting a community celebration at their restaurant on Saturday, August 13th. Attendees enjoyed live music, Blue Zones Project Approved food samples, and natural movement activities like poi pounding.
Sweet Cane Café is known for its seasonal fruits smoothies, nutrient-dense soups and salads, taro and ‘ulu burgers, and powerful elixirs that promote good health and well-being. Majority of the restaurant’s produce are sourced from the family’s 20 acre organic farm in Onomea. Everything served is vegetarian and can be vegan and gluten-free by request. Their new restaurant location on 48 Kamana Street in Hilo allows the opportunity to host community events, which further promote health, well-being and community-building.
Congratulations again to Cherub and her Sweet Cane Café 'ohana. Their hard work and dedication to health and community well-being is clearly represented in their top-quality ingredients and delicious, plant-based recipes. Below is just a sample of some of the delicious items available on their menu. Learn more about Sweet Cane Café by visiting their Facebook page.
Topics: Blue Zones Project - Hawaii Blue Zones Project Approved Blue Zones Project - East Hawaii
5 min read
East Hawaii July Community Update
Topics: Blue Zones Project - Hawaii Blue Zones Project - East Hawaii
3 min read
East Hawaii June Community Update
Congratulations to Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary School!
Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary was featured on the front page of Hawaii Tribune-Herald (click here to read the article) for being the FIRST Blue Zones Project Approved™ school in the state of Hawaii. Congratulations to Chiefess Kapiolani - this wonderful accomplishment will benefit the school's students, staff and our East Hawaii community for many years to come.
To celebrate, a ribbon cutting was conducted on May 25 at the school's May Day Program. Celebrations will commence on August 27, with a family-fun day featuring the Blue Zones Project Power 9®. "Students are excited," said Principal David Dinkle. Special mahalo to Kerrine Smith from Chiefess Kapiolani, who lead the charge in her school becoming Blue Zones Project Approved.
Moai Celebration and Cooking Demonstration With Sure Foundation Church
On May 22nd, team Sure Blue from Sure Foundation Church in Puna held a community potluck and cooking demonstration to celebrate completing their 10-week Walking Moai goal.Chef Christine Bertaluce, who is also a member of the church, prepared a delicious garlic hummus and black bean salad, and a Kale Rainbow Salad and Tofu Watercress Salad was shared among guests.
Sure Foundation Church is making wonderful progress towards completing their Blue Zones Project Faith-Based Pledge to improve the health and well-being of their members, congregation, and community.
Topics: Blue Zones Project - Hawaii Blue Zones Project Approved Blue Zones Project - East Hawaii
4 min read
East Hawaii May Community Update
First Blue Zones Project Approved School in State Recognized
Congratulations to Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary School in Hilo for being the FIRST Blue Zones Project Approved™ school in the State of Hawaii!! This is a wonderful accomplishment that will benefit the school's students, staff and our East Hawaii community.
Special mahalo to Kerrine Smith from Chiefess Kapiolani, who lead the charge in her school becoming Blue Zones Project Approved. A recognition ceremony to congratulate Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary School will be held in August - our East Hawaii community is welcome to join us in this wonderful celebration. Details to come soon, so stay tuned!
Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary School has revived its school garden after the project was discontinued a few years ago due to vandalism during non-school hours. To bring it back to life, an after school gardening class was created, with 3rd grade students participating. They practice their green thumbs for an hour, three times a week, and learn about the science and process of gardening, healthy fruits and veggies, as well as how to prepare healthy foods. Their amazing work supports one of the pledge actions that Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary selected during the Blue Zones Project approval process.
HELCO Walking Moai Week Five Winners
Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELCO) recently held a midway-point competition with its seven Walking Moai® teams. The competition challenged teams to reach Week Five with 100% participation. All 50 participants laced up their walking shoes in pursuit of prizes and bragging rights, but only one team took home the gold - "Team Watch Dis!" Congratulations and mahalo to Team Watch Dis for your dedication and participation. HELCO has one more competition coming up at Week 10, so stay tuned to find out who will be the final winning team!
(Pictured left to right): Anela Gray, Keane Iranon, Sue Lee; Jana Ortiz-Misiaszek, Organization Lead for Blue Zones Project; Melanie Higa, Brian Lum, Lidia Dacayanan, and Heather Keamo.
Interested in starting a moai at your worksite? Contact Jana Ortiz-Misiaszek at Jana.Ortiz@healthways.com or call (808) 217-6290.
Downtown KTA is Making it Easier For You to Move Naturally and Get Healthy
Parking your car farther away to walk a little more
can help you burn a few extra calories, and every little bit of natural movement
counts
. At KTA Downtown on Keawe Street in Hilo, t
here are
two Blue Zones Project designated parking stalls for you to park at and get your walk on. Once inside of KTA, look for the “Path to Produce” arrow to point you in the right direction towards healthier food options.
Tropic Care Event coming to Ka`u and Puna Communities
Topics: Blue Zones Project - Hawaii Blue Zones Project Approved Blue Zones Project - East Hawaii
3 min read
East Hawaii April Community Update
Congratulations Team Sure Blue!
Topics: Blue Zones Project - Hawaii Blue Zones Project - East Hawaii
5 min read
East Hawaii March Community Update
Planting the Seeds for a Longer Life
Topics: Blue Zones Project - Hawaii Blue Zones Project - East Hawaii
5 min read
East Hawaii February Community Update
Healthy Cooking Made Easy
8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Komohana Agriculture Extension Building
875 Komohana St., Hilo
Contact: Rhona Uyetake - Resource Teacher, Hawaii Health Initiative/HPE
Email: Rhona_Uyetake/HAWAIIDO/HIDOE@notes.k12.us
It was a full house at our very first Blue Zones Project Cooking Class of the year! On January 27, more than 80 guests came out to learn from local chef, Cayenne Carocci, who prepared a couple of delicious "Plant Slant" recipes. She treated everyone's tastebuds to samples of a hearty, plant-based potato salad as well as a kale rainbow salad. Both dishes were a huge hit - satisfying and full of flavor! A big mahalo to everyone who joined us for this fun and informative cooking class.
Our next Blue Zones Project cooking demonstration will be held on March 23, this time with Chef Malu Miki from Abundant Life Natural Foods. Do you have some culinary questions that you've been itching to ask? Ms. Miki would like to hear from you! Send your cooking demo topic requests to bluezonesprojecteasthawaii@healthways.com.
All cooking demonstrations will graciously be hosted by the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) office in Hilo, thanks to Julia Zee, CTAHR’s nutritionist and registered dietician. Watch your email for future event announcements and be sure to RSVP below as space and supplies are limited.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23
5 - 7 p.m.
CTAHR Extension Office
875 Komohana Street
(Second floor conference room)
Hilo, HI 96720
East Hawaii Schools Health and Wellness Symposium
Save the Date! Come with members of your school wellness team/council members to hear about the resources available to support efforts to keep K-12 students healthy and life-long advocates for a balanced, healthFULL future!
Friday, April 298 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Komohana Agriculture Extension Building
875 Komohana St., Hilo
Contact: Rhona Uyetake - Resource Teacher, Hawaii Health Initiative/HPE
Email: Rhona_Uyetake/HAWAIIDO/HIDOE@notes.k12.us
Phone: (808) 933-0938
Brought to you by the Department of Education, Department of Health - Public Health Nursing, and Blue Zones Project. More information will be available in the coming weeks so stay tuned!
On Feb. 17, our Blue Zones Project colleagues, Jana Ortiz-Misiaszek and Carol Ignacio, were given a wonderful opportunity to present in front of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Hawaii (JCCIH) Education and Economic Committees. We're excited to see that the meeting resulted in several interested members registering with Blue Zones Project to take advantage of the benefits of implementing a Worksite Wellness program. Improving Worksite Wellness
Those benefits include: lower health care costs, higher productivity, and ultimately, a better quality of life, all of which can be achieved through small changes in the workplace.
Mahalo to JCCIH for allowing us to share the Blue Zones story with your members! We look forward to working together with East Hawaii organizations and the community to make well-being a priority.
| (Left to right): Edwin Hara, Hawaii Printing Corp; Jana Ortiz-Misiaszek, Blue Zones Project Organization Lead; Darice Cullio, Central Pacific Bank; Carol Ignacio, Blue Zones Project Program Manager; and Randy Kurohara, Hawaii Island Mayor’s Office. |
If you are interested in having your worksite achieve Blue Zones Project approved status, please contact bluezonesprojecteasthawaii@healthways.com.
Excellence in Wellness
We would like to personally congratulate all Hawaii public schools for receiving the “Excellence in Wellness” award this spring. In East Hawaii, the schools that are being recognized are de Silva Elementary, Hilo Intermediate, Keaau High, Paauilo Elementary & Intermediate, Pahoa High & Intermediate.
The Hawaii Department of Education (DOE) issues the annual award to public schools that score 90% or higher in meeting the DOE's Wellness Guidelines, which lay out a set of standards in three categories:
- Nutritional Guidelines
- Health and Nutrition Education
- Physical Education and Activity
This year, a record number of Hawaii public schools received the “Excellence in Wellness” award - 84 total statewide. View the full report here.
On top of going above and beyond to meet the DOE's Wellness Guidelines, many of these schools are working towards achieving Blue Zones Project Approved™ status. We are honored to be working with them on their journey towards making the healthy choice, the easy choice for students, faculty and staff.
Congratulations again to all schools for an outstanding job in making health and well-being a priority!
Go Team Sure Blue!
Sure Foundation Church in Puna launched its first Walking Moai as part of the Faith-Based Pledge process to become Blue Zone Project Approved. The team walked together in their community near Pohaku Circle, at Lava Tree State Park, and even got up early for a sunrise walk along the beautiful coast of Hawaiian Paradise Park.
Moai® (pronounced "Mo Eye") Walking Groups are groups of 5 - 8 people that meet at least once a week to walk throughout the community. The small size of the group allows the members to focus on building strong friendships—and those social connections are as vital to well-being as the exercise!
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. Based on this tradition, Moai Walking Groups provide social interaction and support that are just as important to a person’s overall well-being as the benefits of walking.
