November 2023 Gleanings
Torch of Light/General Membership Meeting/Silent Auction Luncheon Dec. 2, Join our Board of Directors. Read on for More!
You're not going to want to miss our annual Torch of Light Luncheon, this year honoring Cindy Reves, the Hawaii state director for the Journalism Education Association. We'll also be voting on a new slate of officers for the club. Speaking of which, why not throw your hat in the ring for a seat as director? Or, if you'd like to contribute but want to start a little more slowly, how about signing up for a committee? No election necessary and lots of committees to choose from. Email President Michael Phillips at mphillips@weatherboy.com , Vice President Tiffany Edwards Hunt at newswoman@mac.com or Gleanings Editor Nancy Cook Lauer at nclauer@gmail.com .
Holiday Torch of Light Luncheon
11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday, December 2
Pueos Osteria at the Waikoloa Plaza Shopping Center
This is going to be a fun one! Not only are we honoring Cindy Reves, the Hawaii state director for the Journalism Education Association, with the Torch of Light for her work securing 1st Amendment rights for student journalists, but we're also presenting a special ʻOʻo Award to Environment Hawaii Publisher Patricia Tummons, for digging especially deep and unearthing information to create groundbreaking news.
Plus, but there's going to be a silent auction featuring staycations at some of West Hawaii's top resorts, dinners at the island's leading restaurants and so much more! Proceeds go to our Scholarship Fund so we can continue supporting those studying journalism or related fields.
Ticket prices are $37 for BIPC members; $45 for nonmembers and includes a buffet: Fresh Focaccia Bread, Waimea Vegetable Minestrone (Vegan Friendly), Kale Salad with Pecorino, almonds and currents with lemon-garlic dressing, Rigatoni tossed in olive oil and garlic, Chicken Florentine of chicken in a light egg batter served with lemon sauce over spinach, Linguini with Shrimp, scampi style with Waimea tomato and spinach folded in at the end of preparation, Mango Cheesecake and Chocolate Hazelnut Tortea.
Tickets are expected to go fast. Get yours now at https://www.bigislandpressclub.org/collect/description/365061-l-torch-of-light-holiday-luncheon-event-auction-december-2023
Cindy Reeves
Cindy Reves is the adviser for The Pinion at McKinley High School in Honolulu. It took two years, but Reves, the local driving force behind a national effort to shield student journalists from censorship and advisers from consequences, was successful in getting House Bill 1848 passed, making Hawaii the 16th state to join the student-led grassroots effort, the “New Voices Movement.”
The measure allows student journalists from the University of Hawaii and other public primary, secondary and post-secondary schools to exercise their rights under the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of the press, at their state-sponsored school newspapers, without censorship from the administration, with the exception of libelous or obscene material.
Patricia Tummons
The winner of the first-ever ʻOʻo award is Patricia Tummons, publisher of Environment Hawaii. Tummons, in a series of articles, exposed questionable dealings in Hawaii County’s Office of Housing and Community Development that ultimately led to an FBI investigation and guilty plea by former OHCD employee Alan Scott Rudo to accepting almost $2 million in bribes. In announcing charges in the alleged $11 million scheme, U.S. Attorney Clare Connors praised the reporting by Environment Hawaii that first raised red flags about Rudo's schemes and, she said, led a county employee to alert the FBI.
Big Island Press Club Online & In-Person Silent Auction
This year, as a fundraiser for our Scholarship Fund, we are launching our first-ever silent auction –and have more than $11,000 of travel, experiences, and meals to auction away!We are using the online auction platform “GiveButter” to help us with our auction. This easy-to-use platform, which works on your phone or your computer, allows you to register and assign a credit card to pay for any bid you win.
Do we have an awesome auction or what?!?
Check out all the staycations, dining and other wonderful items in this and the following panels. You'll want to get in early on the auction action. Just go to https://givebutter.com/c/q8EIOV/auction and let the bidding begin!
Some of our generous donors have asked that we only auction off their prize in-person at our upcoming Torch of Light luncheon on December 2. Those prizes include stays at the Four Season Hualalai, the Auberge Mauna Lani Resort, and the new Rosewood Kona Village Resort. The same platform will work for attendees at the lunch, but those in person can also pay by cash or check in addition to credit card for any auction item they win.
The entire auction process ends at 1:30 pm during the Torch of Light luncheon and people will be notified by the system if they’re a winner. We will then work with you to fulfill your prize.
Some insights on fees, taxes, and donation records:
The Give Butter Platform and Credit Card companies charge a small processing fee for any charge made for a winning bid. The Big Island Press Club will pay this fee if you’d like, but you will have the option to pay the processing fee as part of the registration process. This way, 100% of your contribution goes directly to our scholarship fund.While we are a registered non-profit, Hawaii still taxes charity auction prizes the standard GET tax. The Big Island Press Club will pay this tax for you, but you are more than welcome to make a separate payment to us to cover the sales tax on any item. When you win an auction item for the value of the item or less, it isn’t considered a tax-deductible donation to the Big Island Press Club. However, if your winning bid is greater than what the prize is worth, we will issue you a donation tax receipt to reflect that difference which should be tax-deductible for you. As always, contact your tax professional for questions on the deductibility of participating in a charity auction. Of course, the Scholarship Fund always welcomes donations. So even if you don’t wish to participate in this auction, you can donate to the foundation fund here: https://www.bigislandpressclub.org/page/2052369-donate-to-the-foundation-page
POSTPONED TO 2024
Because it's uncertain whether the federal government will be shutting down next week, impacting some of our speakers, the previously scheduled Newsmaker luncheon, Drought Forecast and Implications to Water, Agriculture & Fire, has been postponed until January. Tickets are being refunded.
2023 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>
