Brief Overview

WCA began in the early 1960s as the Waimea-Kawaihae Community Association, but in the early 1990s, the Kawaihae community had grown and opted to form their own organization.

WCA holds monthly Town Meetings on the first Thursday of each month from 5:30-7 p.m. – usually now post-COVID at Tutu’s House. All are invited – there is no charge – but membership in the association is urged to support the modest costs required to support this all-volunteer organization with communications, website and other modest expenses.

Meetings are hybrid so are in-person and also streamed “live” via our Facebook page and YouTube. Programs are saved and accessible on the FB page and YouTube and are accessible here.

WCA’s Annual Dues are $20/Individual; $30/Family. WCA is a 501(c)3 so dues are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. Donations to WCA are always welcome.

Information about town meetings is posted on this website and Facebook in advance. There also is a newsletter emailed prior to town meetings. Community events and news are published regularly on the WCA FB page and there is also a calendar of association events on this website. All community events that are of community service, education and/or benefit may be shared by the association on its FB page. Flyers and information for the calendar should be emailed as soon as possible to: waimeacommunityassociation@gmail.com.

WCA’s Planning & Design Review Committee is an advisory group organized and coordinated to advise the County Planning Department on implementing the Waimea Design Plan. This plan was adopted by County Council Resolution in 1986. For more information and a copy of the design plan, please click here.

WCA also supports the volunteer committee that organizes the annual Waimea Twilight Christmas Parade, which is always held the first Saturday of December @ 6 p.m. This parade is the second oldest community parade in Hawai’i and is unique thanks to its festively lighted brigade of trucks. Of course, Santa always joins us for our parade!

Everyone is invited to participate in the parade. The parade is a huge undertaking involving nearly 1,000 volunteers and participants. We warmly mahalo The Rotary Club of North Hawai’i for providing essential liability insurance. Beginning in 2022, the parade route was significantly changed and extended - for everyone’s safety. This has significantly increased the cost of staging the parade for the required off-duty police and narrator stations to ensure spectator safety. Help is needed to underwrite these expenses - and it really is everyone’s kuleana.

For more information on this now six+-decade-long Christmas tradition, including rules and application process, and how to join the fun or become a parade sponsor, email Parade Chair Lani Olsen-Chong: olsenchong@gmail.com or click here.

Waimea’s parade benefits the not-for-profit Big Island Giving Tree to be sure no one is forgotten during the holidays.

Our Mission

(a) Support education, health care, and activities that foster a sense of place, belonging, and community cohesion rooted in the diverse and unique culture of Waimea;

(b) Gather and present information and facilitate communication and discussion of issues affecting Waimea;

(c) Promote open participation in the development of policies and legislation affecting Waimea;

(d) Inform community members regarding how and where to make their voices heard, individually and collectively;

(e) Encourage new generations of leaders to continue Waimea’s tradition of community building;

(f) Lessen the burden on the County of Hawaii by providing community support to the annual Waimea Twilight Christmas Parade;

(g) Support the County of Hawaii’s and other public agencies’ response to emergencies by supporting the community of first responders and community preparedness, and;

(h) Support community activities in Waimea that promote social welfare by eliminating prejudice and discrimination.

Logo

As with most things in Hawai’i, this new logo has a kaona – hidden or more subtle meanings.

The dark red color was chosen for the meaning of Waimea (red water).

The words WAIMEA and ASSOCIATION are very bold vintage style – reminding us of our rich paniolo heritage, and the word COMMUNITY is in a script to symbolize a continuous flow. The outline of an abstract cowboy hat brim holds our beloved pu’u above the word COMMUNITY.

The design was created by Monica Parker, who says, “Waimea is so special to me. Six generations of my family (both mom’s and dad’s side) were born and raised here. I could never live anywhere else.”

Event photography provided by Patti Cook, Nancy Carr Smith, and Johnathan Rawle

Banner photography provided by Alexandra Hustace