Development Projects

The Work and The Need

THE WORK…

Faith. Family. Community. Culture.

These values are the driving force behind everything we do here at Island Breeze Makapala (IBMakapala). We are located at the Makapala Retreat Center. Our mission is to support our local and native communities through programs that engage the mind, body, and spirit.

Two of our main programs/events that we run here at the Makapala Retreat Center here, are Camp Lokahi and the annual Kupuna Dinner.

Camp Lokahi has been a part of IBMakapala for 12 consecutive years and is run three times a year, twice for kids ages 9-12 and once in the summer for teens, ages 13-18. Camp Lokahi is a 4-day and 3-night event filled with exciting daily tracks (Archery, Airsoft, Videography, Photography, etc.), camp games, music, improv skits, and so much more. Hundreds of kids from all over the Big Island have been positively impacted and recently we have campers and volunteer staff joining us from Oahu as well! Many of our camp staff are former campers who and want to be a part of positively impacting the next generation. More than 40 volunteers commit to be a part of each camp as staff, track leaders, cooks, decorators, photographers…the job list goes on and on. But we do it because we love our community…and we love the keiki that live here. The Kupuna Dinner was birthed 8 years ago out of a desire to honor the elders in our community, for all they have done and all they continue to do for the younger generations that they lead. The night begins with a 3-course dinner, accompanied by music from local musicians and entertainers. As we move into the next part of the night, our guests are led upstairs where they are entertained by Island Breeze Productions with a 30-minute Polynesian luau-style show. Interspersed through that time, more than 80 door prizes, provided by local vendors from Kohala, Waimea, and Kona, are raffled off. The night is always capped off with a Samoan fire-knife dance. It brings us great pleasure to see the smiles on the faces of our kupuna and to hear the joy in their laughter. It is truly an honor to host this event every year.

Some of the other programs we run here at the Makapala Retreat Center are our Youth Archery Program, hula classes, and weekly wellness & exercise programs.

Other groups use the Makapala Retreat Center for their own events as well, for camps, retreats, and seminars. In doing so, this property serves hundreds more along with those that we serve here in the community through our own programs and events.

THE NEED…

The Makapala Retreat Center was built in the 1920’s and began as the first DOE school here in Kohala. Many of our kupuna still know this property as the “old Makapala School”. Today, the Makapala Retreat Center is run as a 501(c)(3) organization. Our staff is comprised of volunteers who caretake and maintain the property, lead our programs, coordinate property bookings for other groups, all while raising our families here. Last year, with the help of many friends and community members we were able to renovate our main facility’s bathrooms and showers, two staircases room, and lounge room. The project was cost around $90,000. This year we are looking to repair the entry wheelchair-accessible ramp, main staircase, lanai, large meeting room, and dormitories. We are also looking to repair our staff housing with new roofing and termite tenting. We are estimating the total cost of these repairs to be upwards of $100,000.00.

Immediately, we are looking to raise $10,000.00 by the end of October to complete the first part of these renovations (ramp, staircase, and lanai).

Mahalo for taking the time to read our story and for your consideration in the support of this renovation project. We believe that as we are able to improve the facility, it will allow us to better care for the keiki, kupuna, and everyone in between who come to the Makapala Retreat Center.

If you would like to make a contribution with your credit/debit card or Paypal account, please visit www.islandbreezemakapala.com/donate.

If you would like to write a check, please make it payable to Island Breeze Ministries. You may then send it to:

Island Breeze Makapala
PO Box 1137
Kapaau, HI 96755

If you aren’t able to contribute monetarily, there are other ways to give! One way is to share your Makapala Story with us! You can send your story to us via our website here at  www.islandbreezemakapala.com, social media (FB or tag us on Instagram, #IBMakapala), or email at islandbreezehawaii@gmail.com.

Here are some stories we’ve collected so far…

Again, thank you for taking the time to listen. If you have any questions, please let us know.

Mahalo Nui Loa and Malama Pono,

Jared Miyamoto


Island Breeze Makapala – Staff
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