Skip to main content
  • Check presentation

Hilo, HI – Ever since the opening of its world-class Subaru Telescope on Maunakea in 1999, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) has found creative ways to give back to the host community here on Hawai‘i Island. Support of educational programs, behind-the-scenes tours of its facility, donations of scientific equipment are just a few examples, but Subaru philanthropy took a new direction this summer when the observatory’s Hilo-based staff members joined forces with their colleagues at NAOJ in Japan to collect personal donations to help with lava relief in Puna.  The result of this grassroots fundraising effort was a new fund to enable the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center to reach out to schoolchildren whose families and schools have been displaced by the ongoing Kῑlauea lava eruption.

On Friday, July 13, a group of 37 youth from the county-sponsored Pāhoa Summer Fun program spent a day at ‘Imiloa thanks to generous Subaru and NAOJ staff members. Normally based at the Pāhoa District Park and Community Pool, this year’s Summer Fun program has been displaced by the current eruption event and is taking place at Pāhoa Elementary School, where participating children are spending most of the day confined to the gym due to poor air quality and other outdoor safety concerns.

According to Pāhoa Summer Fun director Ranson Yoneda, who accompanied the group to ‘Imiloa, many of the participants come from families who have recently lost their homes, or are unable to get back into their homes. And with the lava having cut off access to nearly all the coastal areas of Puna, these children have limited opportunity for “summer fun” this year, “so we are especially grateful to ‘Imiloa and Subaru staff for enabling us to bring the kids in to Hilo to spend a day far from the lava, and to experience this amazing science center!”

‘Imiloa Executive Director Ka‘iu Kimura commented, “We are so grateful to our neighbors at Subaru Telescope, and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan for quickly responding to the lava emergency in a way that will surely help improve the mental, physical and emotional health of schoolchildren in Puna. At the same time we know the keiki will benefit from exposure to ‘Imiloa’s dynamic learning resources, where they can dive into the natural science that is unfolding all around them.”

During their day at ‘Imiloa, the Pāhoa Summer Fun youth had an opportunity to participate in a live presentation on Hawai‘i’s volcanoes in ‘Imiloa’s interactive CyberCANOE theatre. After exploring ‘Imiloa’s 12,000 sq. ft. Exhibit Hall, they were invited into the Planetarium to conduct science experiments, explore telescope technology, and view a film “We Are Astronomers.” Thanks to the Subaru/NAOJ donations, the group received a complimentary lunch at the end of the program, before returning to Pāhoa.

Dr. Yuko Kakazu, Public Outreach Specialist at Subaru Telescope, commented that she and her colleagues were motivated to take up a collection for lava relief in large part because of their gratitude for the ways in which the people of Hawai‘i stepped forward to assist Japan after the devastation of the crippling 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Fukushima.  “We will never forget the generous donations raised here for Japan relief efforts, nor the hospitality that Big Island families extended in welcoming children into their homes from the affected areas in northeast Japan,” she added.

Inpresenting a check for $3,410 in donations, Dr. Michitoshi Yoshida, Director of Subaru Telescope, stated “It is our privilege to be of some small assistance to the people of Puna whose lives have been upended by the lava emergency. They are our neighbors too, and we are grateful to be able to partner with ‘Imiloa on this educational outreach.” 

With no end in sight for the lava emergency, ‘Imiloa hopes to continue hosting schools and children from Puna.  Additional gifts to support the ‘Imiloa Lava Relief Fund may be made through the University of Hawai‘i Foundation.  For further information, contact Margaret Shiba, Director of Institutional Advancement, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, at 808.932.8921 or [email protected].

# # #

Subaru Telescope is Japan's premier optical-infrared telescope, operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan on Maunakea on the island of Hawai‘i. With an effective aperture of 8.2 m, it is also one of the world's largest and most technologically advanced telescopes. Most of the support work for the telescope is conducted at its Hilo base facility by a 100-person staff.

Sharing Hawai‘i’s legacy of exploration, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center is a world-class center for informal science education located on the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo campus. Its centerpiece is a 12,000 sq. ft. exhibit hall, showcasing astronomy and Hawaiian culture as parallel journeys of human exploration guided by the light of the stars. The visitor experience is amplified with programming using ‘Imiloa’s full dome planetarium and 9 acres of native landscape gardens. The Center welcomes approximately 100,000 visitors each year, including 10,000+ schoolchildren on guided field trips and other educational programs. ‘Imiloa is located at 600 ‘Imiloa Place in Hilo, off of Komohana and Nowelo Streets at the UH Hilo Science and Technology Park. For more information, visit www.ImiloaHawaii.org or call 808- 932-8901.

The University of Hawai‘i Foundation, a nonprofit organization, raises private funds to support the University of Hawai‘i System. The mission of the University of Hawai‘i Foundation is to unite donors’ passions with the University of Hawai‘i’s aspirations by raising philanthropic support and managing private investments to benefit UH, the people of Hawai‘i and our future generations. www.uhfoundation.org