Environmental Education  
Jr. Life Saving Program:
The County runs a children's lifeguard program for just two weeks in the summer.  We felt there was a demand for more, so with grants from the Kukio Fund and the Healing Our Island Fund we ran a successful program in October that graduated 15 students, and are planning a Winter Session in January and a Spring Session in April. Each session runs for three weekends and is taught by Certified Water Safety Officers. Besides basic life saving techniques, students are taught civic responsibility, coastal ecology and the benefits of a clean, drug-free lifestyle.

Caring for our Land:
Every month this regular column appears in the free Puna News, keeping everyone up to date on environmental issues and projects and imparting new information. Some of the topics covered in 2005: How to have a "Green" Xmas, What to do with your green waste, Palm planting at the Pahoa community center, Preservation issues at the County level, Roadside dumping, Coqui reproduction rates, County cleanup of Apa‘a St., Wao Kele O Puna and Waiohinu coastline to be protected, to name a few.

Speakers Bureau:
We are often invited to speak to groups on selected topics. This is a free service, although we do not refuse donations or honoraria to cover the speaker's mileage. This year's big topic has been on coqui.  We also assist individuals and groups to present public informational programs at Pahoa Library. Upcoming will be "Saving the Planet One Bite at a Time" on January 23, and "The Mangroves of Kapoho" on February 6th.

Treasurer's Report 
Unusual expenses this year included the costs of switching the utilities each time we moved, and the high gas prices. Although our budget for the year had allowed for increases in expenses, there was no way we could fore-see how large those increases would be. Nevertheless, on other line items we were below budget, so an overall balance was maintained. Another factor was that the loss of a street-front facility resulted in a decrease in tee shirt sales and new memberships and donations from walk-ins. Several grants helped to cover most of our project expenses, including mileage, supplies and postage. The bottom line is that we are solvent (we haven't always been). In the interests of space we are not reproducing the fiscal details, but our books are open whenever you wish to see them - just ask.