Pali View for Mar 27, 2026 (Mar. 23, 2026)

April 25, 2026 DOE Honolulu School District speech Festival

Like in years past, WHR members have generously given of their time to serve as volunteer judges for the annual DOE Honolulu School District noncompetitive speech festival. Kids in grades 3 to 5 participate in various categories such as choral reading, poetry, interpretative reading, etc. This spring event will be held on Saturday, April 25, McKinley High, 7A (breakfast/instructions) to 10:30 followed by an awards ceremony.

Let Grace Fujiyoshi know if you are able to judge this event. Thank you for help.
<fujiyoshi.grace@gmail.com>

West Honolulu Rotary Foundation update at the 3/21 Assembly

Congratulations and deeply appreciation to CPA Ronald Young, our WHRF Chair, and CPA Walter Chang, who diligently dedicated over 100 hours to completing and filing the IRS Form 1023. Thanks to their hard work and commitment, our 501(c)(3) status—lost in August 2025—has been successfully reinstated WHRF Non-Profit Status as of the end of February 2026.

The West Honolulu Rotary Foundation was incorporated on May 16, 1983, marking over four decades of service and commitment to the community.

The original incorporators were members of the West Honolulu Rotary Club and included Past District Governors Albert Hastings (1965–66), Ralph Honda (1971–72), and Ronald Young (1990–91).

Albert Hastings made a significant philanthropic contribution of over $262,000 to establish a scholarship program, now known as the Al Hastings Fund in Sept 1983.

Ronald Young played a key role in forming the Foundation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. He prepared and submitted the necessary documentation to the Internal Revenue Service, successfully securing tax-exempt status. The donation was structured as an endowment fund in Al Hastings' name to ensure long-term sustainability.

Lincoln Ishida, also a club member, drafted the original Charter of Incorporation and Bylaws. These documents, including Exhibits A and B, were filed with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) and approved on May 16, 1983.

Today, Ronald Young remains the only living incorporator. Lincoln Ishida, who authored the original Charter and Bylaws, are still available to monitor the compliance of the By-Law. We are so fortune to have this 2 dedicated Rotarians to continue to practice the Rotary spirit "Service Above Self"

RI Convention in Taipei 2026 Invitation

2026 Rotary International Convention will take place in Taipei Taiwan, June 13-17, 2026. https://convention.rotary.org/en-us/about

Speaker Leonie Lam on Real Estate

Mar 27, 2026
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

DARK for Good Friday

Apr 03, 2026

Site Visit - Edward Enterprises

Apr 10, 2026
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Speaker John Han

Apr 17, 2026
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Speaker Brynes Yamashita

Apr 24, 2026
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Texaco Speech Festival Project

Apr 25, 2026

Speaker Jacquelyn Ingram

May 01, 2026
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Vocational Speaker

May 08, 2026
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Speaker Liz Fujii

May 15, 2026
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

View entire list

Member Birthdays

Trista Smigielski

March 1

Ron Young

March 25

Kenneth Lee

March 29

Join Date

Rod Moriyama

March 1, 1995

31 years

Chrysti Chun

March 31, 2023

3 years

Student Exchange Program

Hi Rotarians, this year is our turn to send students to Kyoto West Rotary Club, if you are interested the contact person for the program is Terry Lo. Attached a guideline that was prepared by Richard Ing dated 9/2024 for your information.

ROTARY CLUB OF WEST HONOLULU is a Club-Member’s only program,

IYEP INTERNATIONAL YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAM GUIDELINES Adopted: May 2, 2019

1. Individuals participating in an International Youth Exchange Program (“Participant”) may only participate in the International Youth Exchange Program once.

2. The total number of Participants sent by a Rotary Club (hereinafter, “Sending Club”) or received by Rotary Club (“Hosting Club”) during each year shall be limited to two individual Participants.

3. All Participants who desire to participate in the Program shall submit a completed D-5000 application form to the hosting club. The form of the application shall be determined shall be determined by the Hosting Club.

4. The Hosting Club shall have complete discretion to approve or disapprove of any Participant application submitted to the Hosting Club.

5. Participants shall be restricted to individuals who will be at least 16-years of age but not more than 21-years of age on the date the Participant departs the Sending Club’s country for the country of the Hosting Club, “The State of Hawaii”.

6. Except as provided herein, the Program shall be open to all Participants who meet the requirements set forth herein, irrespective of the state or country “The State of Hawaii” the Participant resides.

7. Participants shall be restricted to the biological or adopted children and/or the grandchildren of the Sending Club members who have been active members of the Sending Club for 2 or more years and who are in good standing with the Sending Club.

8. The Sending Club selection of Participants shall be prioritized in the following order: 1) Sending Club members’ children; 2) Sending Club members’ grandchildren; and 3) Sending Club Members years of club membership with the Sending Club. The club member having a greater number of years of membership shall have priority over a member with less years of membership in the Sending Club.

9. Except in cases of emergency, Participants may not be accompanied by an adult from, or affiliated with a member of, the Sending Club for the duration of the visit to the Hosting Club. This guideline shall not be construed to prohibit adults from accompanying a Participant to and from the Hosting Club/destination provided, however, the accompanying adult’s interaction with the Participant during the duration of the Participant’s visit with the Hosting Club shall be limited to dropping off and/or picking up the Participant at a predetermined location designated by the Hosting Club at the start and at the end of the Participant’s visit to the Hosting Club.

10. All Participants shall sign and submit a liability waiver in the form adopted by the Hosting Club to the Hosting Club prior to the Participant’s visit to the Hosting Club. In the event that a Participant is less than that age of 18-years, the Participant’s parent(s) or legal guardian shall sign the liability waiver.

11. All Participant applicants shall submit a completed medical history statement or medical certificate in the form adopted by the Hosting Club.

12. Participants shall be financially responsible for securing and paying for the cost of the Participant’s transportation (i.e., including round trip airfare) to and from the Hosting Club, omiyage for the Hosting Club’s President, Board, Club members and Participant’s host family(ies).

13. All Hosting Club members participating in the Program shall submit to a criminal history records background check through the State of Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center and provide the International Service Chairperson with a current criminal history record report obtained from said center within six (6) months prior to the date the Participants are expected to arrive in the country of the Hosting Club.

14. The Hosting Club shall furnish the Sending Club with a written evaluation of the Participants in a form adopted by the Hosting Club within a reasonable period of time after a Program for that year has concluded and the Participants have all returned to their country of origin. 15. Unless otherwise previously approved by a Club hosting an event in which an international sister club is invited to participate and/or attend, participation in any such event shall be limited to Club members who are in good standing with their Club and their spouses or significant others.

Prepared by Richard Ing 09-2024