The legacy of the late educator and government planner Ilima Pi‘ianai‘a is being celebrated through the establishment of a new endowment at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo. ADVERTISING The legacy of the late educator and government planner Ilima Pi‘ianai‘a
The legacy of the late educator and government planner Ilima Pi‘ianai‘a is being celebrated through the establishment of a new endowment at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo.
Gordon Pi‘ianai‘a of Honolulu and Norman Pi‘ianai‘a of Kamuela have made a gift through the University of Hawaii Foundation to create a new permanently endowed fund to honor their sister and expand access to educational programming at ‘Imiloa for K-12 students.
“Just as we are marking the 11th anniversary of our opening, ‘Imiloa is thrilled to have our very first permanent endowment, a fund that will benefit the center in perpetuity and enable us to share our unique brand of programming with both current and future generations of young people,” said ‘Imiloa Executive Director Ka‘iu Kimura. “We are humbled by the Pi‘ianai‘a family’s vote of confidence in ‘Imiloa and excited about what this will mean in our second decade and beyond.”
Born and raised on Oahu, Ilima Pi‘ianai‘a (1947-2006) pursued a noteworthy career in the public sector, starting with her service as a Hawaii County planner helping to develop a general plan for the island.
She later served with the Hawaii Community Development Authority and worked on the Kakaako Improvement District, among other projects. She lectured in geography and planning at UH-Manoa from 1980-84, administered the Task Force on the Hawaiian Homes Commission from 1982-83 then had appointments as Hawaii County deputy planning director, director of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, director of the Office of International Relations and Affairs and deputy director of the state Department of Agriculture.
“Even though Ilima was from Honolulu, she loved the Big Island and its people,” Norman Pi‘ianai‘a said. “With ancestral roots firmly planted here, we are confident that Ilima would be pleased to know she has in this way returned and will continue to help nurture and contribute to the future education and development of Hawaii Island youngsters.”
To make a gift to the Ilima Pi‘ianai‘a Endowment, visit www.uhfoundation.org/
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