Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, volunteer their time to clean the M-167 A/2W/E Vulcan Air Defense System and the M-4A3E8 Medium Sherman tank, two of the five macro-artifacts on display at the Tropic Lightning Museum, on Make A Difference Day on Schofield Barracks in a previous year. (File photo)
City and County of Honolulu
News Release
HONOLULU – October is Make A Difference Month, and the Department of Facility Maintenance (DFM) Storm Water Quality (SWQ) Branch iscelebrating with a series of cleanup events around O‘ahu. Volunteers ages 12 and up can make a difference by participating in cleanups to keepHawai‘i opala-free while serving as a clean water hero in their local community.
“One of the core values we learn growing up in Hawaiʻi is ‘mālama ʻāina,’ or taking care of our land,” said Mayor Kirk Caldwell. “Make A Difference Month is about stewardship and working together. It’s a reminder for all of us to take active steps to mālama ʻāina in our neighborhoods and communities.”
As one of the largest periods of service nationwide, Make A Difference Month brings together millions of people in a collective spirit of giving back. In line with Make A Difference Month, the city’s SWQ Branch inspires volunteerism and public awareness of water pollution prevention by offering a variety of service opportunities.
Cleanup events for the month of October kick off on Saturday, Oct. 5 in Kapolei and culminate during a Saturday, Oct. 26 cleanup in Mānoa.
Schedule of Events
- Kapolei Cleanup
Saturday, Oct. 5, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m
Hosted by New Hope Leeward
- Upper Makiki Cleanup
Monday, Oct. 7, 2:30 p.m to 4:30 p.m
Hosted by Catholic Charities Hawaii
- Lower Mānoa Cleanup
Saturday, Oct. 12, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Hosted by Hawaiian Electric
- Pālolo Cleanup
Saturday, Oct. 12, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Hosted by Trees to Seas and Iolani Schools
- Nānākuli Cleanup
Saturday, Oct. 12, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Hosted by the Department of Facility Maintenance (DFM) Storm Water Quality (SWQ)
- Hawaiʻi Kai Cleanup
Sunday, Oct. 13, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Hosted by Kori Kawagishi
- Kailua Cleanup
Thursday, Oct. 17, 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Hosted by Huakailani
- ʻAiea Bay State Recreation Area Cleanup
Friday, Oct. 18, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Hosted by USS Chafee
- ʻAiea Kai Way Cleanup
Friday, Oct. 18, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Hosted by Afloat Training Group Middle Pacific (ATG MIDPAC)
- Makiki Cleanup
Saturday, Oct. 19, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Hosted by Hi Smile Orthodontics
- Neal S. Blaisdell Park, Puʻuloa Springs Cleanup
Saturday, Oct. 19, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Hosted by The Mission Continues
- Lehua Avenue Cleanup
Saturday, Oct. 19, 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Hosted by Mana Loa-Nimitz Lions Club
- Pupuole Street Mini Park Cleanup
Saturday, Oct. 19, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Hosted by Inspire Church, Weed and Seed Hawai‘i, and Waipahu Community Coalition
- Waipahu Depot Street Cleanup
Saturday, Oct. 19, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Hosted by Lighthouse Outreach Center
- Ward – Kamake‘e Cleanup
Monday, Oct. 21, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Hosted by Viaggio
- Kaimukī Cleanup
Saturday, Oct. 26, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Hosted by the Honolulu Board of Realtors
- Kalihi-Pālama Cleanup
Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Hosted by Oceantroller
- Mānoa Cleanup
Saturday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Hosted by Malama Mānoa
All volunteers must be 12 years of age or older and must sign a release form to participate in the Make A Difference Month cleanups. Participants should anticipate getting dirty, wear covered shoes, use sun protection, and bring drinking water. For more information, call (808) 768-4319 or visit the DFM-SWQ website at www.cleanwaterhonolulu.com.
About the Department of Facility Maintenance – SWQ Branch
The mission of the SWQ Branch is to empower and provide guidance for the public on effective ways to minimize the impact of littering and pollution on water quality to protect public health and O‘ahu’s beauty. For more information about the SWQ Branch and upcoming volunteer opportunities, please visit www.cleanwaterhonolulu.com.