Malia Receives WoHeLo Award
For the past ten years my daughter Malia has been a member of the Green Country Camp Fire Boys and Girls. My wife Momi and her good friend Wendy started the group ten years ago for their daughters, Malia and Katie. Those two and four other friends formed the NaKiSiLo Camp Fire group. NaKiSiLo is made of the first two letters of the words Nature, Kindness, Sisters, and Love. Over the years their numbers grew to twelve and ended yesterday with five, Malia, Katie, Kaylee, Sarah, and Rebekah. Rebekah and her family are presently living in Cambodia.
Each year there is a gathering of the Camp Fire members at what’s called the Grand Council Fire. Here awards are presented, youth leaders are recognized, and special ceremony is held for those receiving their WoHeLo award. WoHeLo stands for Work, Health, and Love. It is the highest award you can earn in Camp Fire and it similar to becoming an Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts.
Malia received the James and Oleta Barnes Scholarship, given each year to an outstanding senior who represents the spirit of Camp Fire. We were excited to hear she had won this scholarship. It will be put to good use when she attends the University of Tulsa next year.
Every year at Christmas these girls bought gifts for children less privileged than themselves. They sang at nursing homes, participated in Relay for Life, helped a single mom with a new born setup an apartment, cleaned up camp, volunteered at day camps and overnight camps, and volunteered at a local wildlife refuge, Safari Joe’s.
The group spent a lot of time outdoors, staying at the Camp Fire camps Waluhili and Tookaboochee. They also took trips to Devil’s Den in Arkansas, backpacking trips to the Buffalo River, White Mountain and Kannick. They had a great time rappelling at Chandler Park and Camp Waluhili.
They learned non-outdoor skills too. They setup bank accounts and made budgets. Boy that opened their eyes! They completed employment applications. They learned about issues important to women as they became beautiful young women. They did crafts and they set goals.
To Malia I want to say congratulations. You’ve done it. You have reached an outstanding goal and in a couple of weeks you will graduate from high school and achieve another long term goal. Your future is bright. Your mother and I wish you much success in your journeys.
To all the sisters of NaKiSiLo, I want to say congratulations. You invaded my house as giggling, bouncing little girls. It won’t be the same without you here every week. You know you are welcome anytime you wish to come visit.
Here are some pictures from the Grand Council Fire and the party we had afterwards.
