Group performs community service while vacationing in Hawai'i

PO'IP? ? Approximately 150 people who won incentive trips to Kaua'i earlier this month wanted to do more than just bask in the sun.

So they signed up for various community service projects around the island, including sprucing up of Po'ip? Beach Park.

The arrangements were made for IHS, a global business information services company that?s headquartered in Denver, Colorado by Chrysalis Events Hawai'i, a destination management company.

?IHS is very focused on corporate sustainability and ?community? is an important part of that priority. We believe that the only way to achieve long-term success for our company is to ensure that the communities where we live, work and play are thriving and vibrant,? said Jane Okun Bomba, senior vice president and chief sustainability, IR and communications officer, IHS. We wanted to ?give back? by contributing effort toward some of the projects that needed to be done. Our goal was to leave the island in a little better shape than when we arrived.?

Every year, IHS rewards its top performing employees and their guests with a week-long stay at a top-notch visitor destination. This year, the company selected Grand Hyatt Kaua'i Resort and Spa.

?This was the first time we participated in community projects during our celebration trip,? said Okun Bomba. ?Many of our employees were so energized by the opportunity to do some meaningful work and engage with the wonderful people in your community. IHS would like to thank the people of Kaua'i for welcoming us so warmly.?

The IHS team that freshened up Po'ip? Beach Park was provided with paint, rollers and brushes through the county?s Adopt-A-Park Program. It took the team about two hours to paint all of the picnic tables, perform minor repairs and pick up trash.

?We really appreciate the work that was done by the IHS employees at Po'ip? Beach Park,? said Lenny Rapozo, director of the Parks and Recreation Department. ?It?s not every day that we meet people who come to Hawai'i for a vacation and volunteer to do community projects during their visit.?

In addition to Po'ip? Beach Park, IHS teams participated in community projects at Kawaikini Charter School, Makauwahi Cave Reserve, National Tropical Botanical Garden and Kilohana Plantation.?

Eddie Sarita, coordinator of the county?s Adopt-A-Park Program and manager of the Kaua'i War Memorial Convention Hall, noted that anyone who signs up as a volunteer in the Adopt-A-Park program can choose how he or she would like to help. He said that training on how to perform a particular task is also available to volunteers.

?Volunteers can help in a lot of different ways,? said Sarita. ?They can pick up litter, remove graffiti, sweep the courts and pathways, pull weeds, rake leaves, plant flowers or engage in approved projects.?

An entire park or particular areas within parks may be adopted including: sports fields; exercise courses; flower beds; trees and shrubs; pavilions; playgrounds; basketball and tennis courts; bike and pedestrian paths; undeveloped parkland; and restrooms.

Over the years, many local community groups have also engaged in beautification projects at county parks.

? For more information about the Adopt-A-Park Program, please contact Sarita at 241-6623.

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