Links to Events, Speakers, "Birthaversaies" and Club Info
Go Green Saturday Recycling is an ongoing event for members to either volunteer or drop off items (or both). The March 20th event welcomed a steady stream of drop-offs that included scrap metal, appliances, bicycles, car batteries, tires, TVs, computers and printers. Thanks to Malama Maui Nui for continuing this west side recycling service!
Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset meetings in review:
March 2nd - Our guest speaker was Jenny Pell, Project Manager for Maui Ohana Gardens. Jenny is a regenerative agriculture expert. Talking points included the importance of tree planting, local food solutions, and climate resilient planting tips that yield enduring behavior-changing results. For more information go to Food Security Hawai'i and/or Maui Ohana Gardens.
Recommended reading
"Agroforestry Guides for Pacific Islands" by Craig R. Elevitch
"Introduction to Permaculture" by Bill Mollison
March 16th - Deidre Tegarden, Exec. Director Nisei Veterans Memorial Center. Diedre discussed the contributions that the Nisei (2nd generation Japanese Americans) made during WW2 in spite of their forced internment. For more information go to Nisei Veterans Memorial Center (nvmc.org) or the NVMC YouTube channel.
Recommended Reading
"Midnight in Broad Daylight..." by Pamela Sakamoto
"Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James Houston
"How Hawaii Changed America..." by Tom Coffman
"Daughter of Moloka'i" by Alan Brennert
The Board of Directors met on March 9th. Here are some highlights:
Rotary at Work Day – April 24 – every year every club needs to participate. This year’s theme is an Environmental Clean Up. Could be a joint Lahaina clubs project. More details at the next board meeting.
The La`au Ha`awi Maui Tree GiftingProject is done – February 19 was the final planting. This project planted 1000 trees on Maui in almost 3 months. Mahalo and congratulations to all who were involved.
A Reunion for the 54 Virtual Junior RYLA Participants is scheduled for Sunday April 11th. Toastmasters International will provide the participants with a 30-minute workshop on “Speaking Skillfully and Effortlessly” and then the Zoom Room Facilitators will meet their students again in a 30-minute follow-up. Joanne is the Director and Michiko, Kelsey, Erica and Vanessa are serving as Facilitators. Students will be encouraged to start a Middle School Interact Club at their school.
HRYF – Reese Raguindin from Molokai High School was selected as our club’s HRYF Recipient. She is awaiting acceptances from colleges. Reese will be majoring in Elementary Education and wants to return to Molokai to be a teacher.
Go for the Green Scholarships – application went out on March 15. Deadline will be May 1st. Kelsey will reach out to interested members to form an interview panel.
D5000 International Service Project to Nepal and Butan October 22 to November 4, 2021. Mariko plans to attend. First meeting has been held. Can take up to 40 people on the trip. Trip to support 2 vocational schools in Nepal. If interested please notify Mariko. This trip will also include tree planting. There is a need for 100 mango trees. A flyer will be shared with RCLS members to test interest.
Membership - 6 new members inducted this year. One member lost due to relocation on the mainland.
We have two Rotary District fund-raising goals that are just short of our targets. If they are not attained then we will not receive a Club Citation from the District. Donations for the ANNUAL FUND are $500 short of our goal and we are $200 shy of our goal for POLIO PLUS. Alayna sent an email on March 16th with details on how to contribute.
The Sneakers for Scholarships fundraiser netted $2600 from donations and race participants. T-shirts will be mailed to those who ordered one. Donation letters have been sent out to everyone who made a contribution.
A big mahalo to our Board members for their dedication and enthusiasm! If you are interested in being considered for a position on the Board in 2021-2022, contact our current Board President, Vanessa Moreno.
Go Green Recycling Saturday: The next event is scheduled on April 17, 2021. If you would like to volunteer, visit the Malama Maui Nui website to sign up. If you have items you would like to drop off, you must schedule an appointment HERE.
An easy, healthy recipe for French lentil soup made in the electric pressure cooker. So simple, hearty, and delicious! Gluten free, vegan (if you leave off the parmesan topper), and freezer friendly. Recipe works with any color of lentils (red, green, or brown).
This recipe yields a very thick soup, so feel free to thin it with additional broth if you prefer a thinner consistency.
Prep: 5 mins Cook: 45 mins Total: 50 mins Servings: 6
Instant Pot size: 6 quart (cut recipe in half for the 3-quart Instant Pot)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion (small diced)
4 medium carrots
3 stalks celery
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups French green lentils
4 cloves garlic (minced - about 4 teaspoons)
1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (15 ounces)
1 can crushed tomatoes (15 ounces)
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
chopped fresh parsley (for serving)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional for serving)
crusty bread (optional for serving)
Instructions
Drizzle the oil into the Instant Pot. Set to SAUTE. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and stir. Continue to cook the onion, stirring often, until the onions are very soft and begin to brown and break down, about 8 minutes.
While the onion cooks, peel the carrots and cut into small dice. Small dice the celery as well. Add the carrots, celery, thyme springs (you can tie them together if you like to make them easier to fish out later), salt, smoked paprika, and pepper. Sauté until the carrots and celery are barely soft, about 2 minutes.
Add the lentils and garlic to the pot and stir to coat them in the spices. Let cook 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and vegetable broth.
Cover and seal the Instant Pot, and then set to cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes of high pressure, allow the cooker to release pressure naturally. This will take about 10 to 15 additional minutes.
Open the lid and stir the soup. Remove the thyme stems, leaving the leaves in the soup. If the soup is too thick for your liking, thin with a bit of water or additional stock until you reach the desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. Serve hot with a sprinkle of parsley, Parmesan and bread for dipping.
Notes
TO STORE: place leftover soup in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm this soup in a Dutch oven on the stove over medium-low heat until hot. You can also reheat in the microwave.
TO FREEZE: Store soup in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
TO MAKE ON THE STOVETOP: Prepare the recipe in a large Dutch oven on the stove through Step 3. Bring the soup to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let cook until the lentil are tender but not mushy, about 25 minutes, stirring once or twice throughout. Enjoy hot.
Calling all Chocolate Chip Cookie Lovers
Next month we plan to publish our favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes. If you have a favorite and would like to share, please send it to Kristy or Monte.
From Karen Krenz:
Meet our pet cockatiel Makame, nicknamed "Dude". I found him 18 years ago in Kapalua. When I first saw him, I said to myself, "Oh, you're so precious!"; hence the name Makame which means precious in Hawaiian. When I found him, his wings were clipped and he was very tame, so we knew he was someone's pet. We tried to find his person but could not so we adopted him. He is great company and brings a smile to our face. He sings pretty songs, likes to have his head scratched and enjoys looking at himself in the mirror. He also loves taking a shower and eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Spinach is his favorite.
Hawaiian phrases to try:
February was ‘Ōlelo Hawai’i month, a time to celebrate and encourage others to speak the Hawaiian language. To commemorate the month, HI Now hosts Kanoe Gibson and Kainoa Carlson shared some simple phrases you can incorporate into your every day conversations.
Next time you see a friend or a co-worker, greet them with a “hello,” or “Aloha!” Then ask them, “Pehea `oe?” In English, that translates to “How are you?”
Obviously there are a number of ways to respond to this question, but here are a few simple options. You can respond with “Maika`i!” or “Fine!” You can even say “Maika`i nô,” or “very well,” if you’re feeling great. And sometimes you might not be having the best day, so you could respond with “Maika`i `ole,” or “Not well.”
So after someone asks you how you’re doing, you’ll want to return the favor and ask how they are. To do this, ask: “A `o `oe?” And that means, “And you?”
Now if you’re just meeting someone for the first time, you could try asking them this question: “`O wai kou inoa?” This translates to, “What is your name?” To answer this question, you would reply, “`O <insert name> ko`u inoa.” Be sure to insert your name into the brackets to complete the sentence.
Another common question to ask someone you’re getting to know is: “No hea mai `oe?” This means, “Where are you from?” For example, if you’re from Kaneohe, you would respond like this: “No Kaneohe mai au.” Be sure to replace Kaneohe with the city or state where you’re from!
Other commonly used phrases you can add to your daily conversations include:
Good Morning: Aloha kakahiaka!
Thank you: Mahalo iâ `oe!
You’re Welcome: `A`ole pilikia.
Next time you’re with friends, family, or co-workers, see if you can use any of these phrases!
