LIHU‘E — The Kauai Lifeguard Association has had to rethink its direction for 2020.
Instead of a vision that encouraged and supported gatherings and participation in ocean related activities with an emphasis on fitness and safety, they had to cancel their planned ‘beach days’ for regions of the island and cancel their 6th Wave Publicity and Fundraising Campaign which was to include an a dinner, live and silent auction, awards and prize drawings with Amy Gilliom and Kapena performing.
Instead a decision had to be made as to whether KLA should take a back seat to the virus, or continue to help save lives by taking on a new direction.
Board Member Andy Melamed outlined a strategy that would take KLA’s funds for 2020 and apply them to local media that would reinforce the Mayor’s messages.
“We decided not to save a life, but the entire island,” Melamed said.
And because most national and state driven media had little information with regards to Kaua‘i, KLA negotiated agreements with all Kaua‘i radio stations, The Garden Island Newspaper, and social media to spread Kaua‘i’s much needed directives. Kalani Vierra’s and Chantal Zarbaugh’s weekly beach reports focus on activity along the shore while reminding listeners of the current restrictions that are in place. Newspaper ads, radio messages and social media reinforce all this.
Dr. Monty Downs is the KLA President and a Wilcox Emergency Room physician. He notes that our island’s health facilities are limited and that we cannot afford to have any hotspots like those found on the mainland or even on other islands.
The CDC projects that twenty five percent of all cases of the virus might be asymptomatic, meaning that unknowing carriers of Covid 19 can spread the disease to many people that might be more vulnerable. As of April 28th there is but one remaining isolated case of the virus on the Garden Island. On the mainland however, there are over one million confirmed cases with over 55,000 deaths. Many governors are being encouraged by President Trump to open their states and to not Stay at Home. That will result in Kaua‘i seeing an influx of visitors in the very near future.
That is why the State has extended its mandated 14-day quarantine for all people arriving to Hawai‘i. And it will be a burden for the State to monitor and enforce these life-saving quarantines.
Chantal Zarbaugh, the KLA marketing director, stresses the importance of maintaining such quarantines on Kaua‘i, and if violations of such orders are observed they should be reported to officials in charge by going to Kauai.gov or call 241-1711 if no computer or smart phone is available.
The current KLA media campaign stresses these concerns. Its messages might change throughout the year in our effort to unite our island and to Help Save Lives and Kaua‘i. Other businesses and organizations are encouraged to do the same as we stand behind our Mayor and set examples for others.
Source: The Garden Island
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