December 2023 Gleanings

Torch of Light luncheon, almost $7k in scholarships raised, Grads Made Good and more!

What a fantastic Torch of Light Luncheon! Dynamic speakers, delicious food, beautiful locale. Next up - Jan. 27 wildfire newsmaker. And, mark your calendars for May 9 Scholarship Dinner. Don't forget to renew your membership! Have news to share? Just email Gleanings editor Nancy Cook Lauer at nclauer@gmail.com for inclusion in an upcoming issue. MEETING NOTICE: BIPC Board meeting via Zoom Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 11am. Open to members. Email President Michael Phillips at mphillips@weatherboy.com for a link.

Event honors Reves, Tummons; money raised for scholarships; BIPC hosts student journalists

BIPC was proud to hand over the Torch of Light award to Cindy Reves, the local driving force behind a national effort to shield student journalists from censorship and advisers from consequences. It took years, but Reves succeeded in getting House Bill 1848 passed, making Hawaii the 16th state to join the student-led grassroots effort, the “New Voices Movement.”

Reves described her experiences Dec. 2 to a crowd at Pueos Osteria that included a contingent of Konawaena High School cub reporters, fresh from a trip to Honolulu to attend the Society of Professional Journalists regional conference. BIPC sponsored one of the students for the SPJ event, in addition to University of Hawaii-Hilo student Maya-Lin Green. Green and the cub reporters were guests of the club at the Torch of Light ceremony as well.

Konawaena cub reporters in attendance: Leslie Machorro-Ruiz, The Wildcat Staff Writer Tahaa Kahele, The Wildcat student newspaper Editor-in-Chief Kaila Powell, The Wildcat Lifestyle CoEditor Leilani Nye, The Wildcat News Editor Christina Kovach, faculty advisor, journalism teacher, former West Hawaii Today reporter circa 1999 (Gretel C. Kovach byline)

BIPC was equally proud to present the first-ever ʻOʻo award, for investigative journalism. Environment Hawaii Publisher Patricia Tummons held the Waikoloa crowd spellbound talking about her exposure of questionable dealings leading to an FBI investigation right in their neighborhood.

Tummons had some advice for the young journalists in the room as well: The first rule in reporting is being there. Go to meetings, pay attention and ask questions, she counseled the cub reporters.

Almost $7k raised for scholarships

The luncheon was topped off with an online silent auction featuring staycations at some of West Hawaii's top resorts, dinners at the island's leading restaurants, Airbnbs in Volcano and Waikiki and even whalewatching tours. Almost $7,000 was raised for scholarships.

Speaking of Scholarships...

Did you know you can fund a scholarship named after you or a loved one?

Your being a member of The Big Island Press Club is an investment in the future of journalism. One of the ways you do that is by supporting our annual scholarship awards for students pursuing higher education in journalism and related careers. Endowing a named scholarship is easy and rewarding to do. Contact royelen@bigislandpressclub.org.

Scholarship applications are being accepted from students until March 15. Visit this website for details.

Your scholarship donations matter! The media landscape is changing, but the need for effective communicators is greater than ever. Thanks to donations -- large and small -- from supporters, the Big Island Press Club awards thousands of dollars a year to students with Big Island roots studying journalism or related fields.

46 years ago: Elisa Yadao

Senior vice president for HMSA, formerly chief information officer for the City and County of Honolulu’s rail transit system, communications director for Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate, campaign spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, KGMB reporter, producer.

31 years ago: John Burnett

Police reporter, Hawaii Tribune-Herald’s most senior staff writer, former schoolteacher, KPUA-AM/KWXX-FM radio personality. “I would never have been hired by the TribuneHerald, at a time they desperately needed a reporter and I desperately needed a job, if I didn't have a college degree. My scholarships from BIPC were instrumental in helping me to earn that degree.”

26 years ago: Erika Engle

Press Secretary for Gov. Josh Green, former communications director at City and County of Honolulu, journalist at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, KHON2, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Pacific Business News, KQMQ-FM, KSSK, KGMB. Pahoa High and Intermediate School.

10 years ago: Alexander Bitter

Senior retail reporter for Washington D.C.-based Insider. Previously, reporter with S&P Global Market Intelligence, internships with The Street Inc. and the Wall Street Journal.

6 years ago: Brian Wild

Analyst at the Hawaii State Auditor’s Office, former attorney at Office of the Public Defender. Former editor-in-chief of Ke Kalahea. Other past winners: Ilihia Gionson, public affairs officer for the Hawaii Tourism Authority, former Big Island film commissioner, aide to former Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi; Peter Sur, executive secretary for the Hawaii County Department of Environmental Management, former aide to Hawaii County Councilwoman Sue Lee Loy, former Hawaii Tribune-Herald reporter; Chris Loos, retired Hawaii Police Department spokeswoman and former newspaper and radio reporter and television production assistant and associate director, and many more.

A special thank you to Lara Hughes Sonoda

First Vice President and commercial banking team lead at First Hawaiian Bank. Konawaena High School Class of 2001. BIPC’s first student president. Served on the Scholarship Committee, so abstained from scholarship consideration. Doubtless she would have won one.

Sign up now for the Jan. 27 newsmaker luncheon

To be held at the Banquet Room at the Waikoloa Village Association Clubhouse Complex. Catered by Johnny's Restaurant. BIPC has assembled an exciting panel featuring the National Weather Service, DLNR, Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, and more to do a deep dive on what is expected to be a very severe islandwide drought in 2024. Tickets are available now on the BIPC website.

$29 for BIPC members, $34 for nonmembers includes a delicious buffet featuring:

A Crudite Spread: assorted market vegetables, hummus, tzatziki, smoked local fish dip with crackers, crostinis, grilled Naan bread.

A Slider Station: chicken salad sliders with sprouts, mini egg salad sandwiches, meatball sliders with tomato jam, potato salad and house-made chips.

Assorted cookies and brownies.

Bylaws changes, welcoming back Jim Wilson to the BIPC board, dues are due!

BIPC President Michael Phillips announced that the required supermajority of Professional members by email approved changes to the club bylaws. In all, 78% of the Professional membership voted, with 33% voting no and 67% voting yes. The revised bylaws can be found in the member area of the BIPC website.

A new slate of officers was approved by acclamation. We're especially pleased to have Jim Wilson back on the board. We'll have more abut him next month. Details and contact info for all the board members below.

Time to pay your 2024 dues!

Dues can be paid by credit card on the website or by check to Big Island Press Club, P.O. Box 1920, Hilo HI 96721.

The online system is streamlined to have annual dues automatically charge to the card on file after a person received their automated annual renewal reminder via email at the end of the year.

Any member can go in after the payment is processed and select cancel the auto renewal, which would terminate the membership for that year. Memberships aren't refundable, so that membership would remain valid through December. Then that member could re-renew on their own the following year.

2024 Big Island Press Club Board

Please feel free to contact any board members with your suggestions, or if you wish to volunteer!

President: Michael Phillips, journalist, meteorologist, Weather Channel <mphillips@weatherboy.com>

Vice President: Tiffany Edwards Hunt, former journalist, middle school teacher <newswoman@mac.com>

Treasurer: Bob Duerr, filmmaker and journalist, Hawaii Fishing News <surf77@me.com>

Secretary: Nancy Cook Lauer, retired journalist, blogger www.allhawaiinews.com <nclauer@gmail.com>

Director: Ross Wilson, PR, Current Events <rossw@current-events.com>

Director: Royelen Lee Boykie, retired digital strategist and fundraiser <Royelen@bigislandpressclub.org>

Director: Patsy Iwasaki, professor, University of Hawaii-Hilo <piwasaki@hawaii.edu>

Director: Jim Wilson, retired publisher, Hawaii Tribune-Herald <wilson1012@twc.com>

Immediate Past President: John Burnett, journalist, Tribune-Herald <jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com>