A remarkable cooperative effort has resulted in a nearly new Dodge/Mercedes Sprinter shuttle van being donated to Health Works Under the Banyan, a supporting ministry in Hilo.

Michael and Tara Flynn, co-founders of HWUTB, see the van as a huge step forward in providing sustainable agriculture workshops, whole health education workshops, and the launch of HWUTB’s plant-based culinary institute and restaurant.

“From seed, to farm, to culinary institute kitchen, to restaurant patron, to the patron’s body, health and mind, this unbroken chain leads to practical, hands-on, planetary stewardship in action,” the Flynns say. "People can relate to this practical approach to the good news, the gospel with dirt under its fingernails, and good food on the table."

HWUTB is now in the final phase of a fundraising drive to complete renovations to their facility in Hilo. Once completed, the building will house offices, a plant-based culinary institute, a training restaurant, and a retail consignment space. A five-acre sustainable agriculture farm in Kaimu, Big Island, complements this in-town facility.

The story of how this van came to Health Works Under the Banyan started with Michael Flynn working with Alton Kimura of the Hilo office of the United States Department of Agriculture to secure a Rural Development Grant. Next, matching funds were secured by working with Diane Chadwick of the Hawaii Community Foundation.

With these funding sources both secured, the search then started for the right shuttle vehicle. After a search that spanned across the United States and all the way to Europe, the perfect vehicle was found listed on Oahu, Hawaii, in a Craigslist advertisement.

Even more remarkable, the van’s owners, Maria Chomyszak and Kim MacDonald of Oahu’s Teeny Tiny Tour Company, agreed to make an $11,500 in-kind donation as part of the transaction. Still more good news arrived in the form of Young Brothers generously agreeing to ship the van free of charge from Honolulu to Hilo.

Carol Anne Davis, the owner of Portraits of Hawaii on Kauai and a good friend of the Flynns, talked to her photographer son, Norman Legoullon, and he agreed to meet everyone at Young Brothers on Oahu for a photo shoot to memorialize the change of ownership and the shipping celebration.

With the van’s arrival at the HWUTB facility, clients and volunteers alike appreciated deeply that this van represents a strong intention on the part of many people to care for the land, for people’s individual health, and the community as a whole here on the Island of Hawaii. Rodney Keaweehu of Hilo said, “Wow, that’s a really nice sustainable agriculture vehicle. I’m interested.”

The sustainable agriculture workshops will launch with six or more sessions planned in 2008. These workshops be held at the five-acre farm in Kaimu. A key purpose of the van is to transport students and workers to this acreage where the Flynn’s practice sustainable agriculture. Current topics for the workshops include: sea energy agriculture, large scale earth worm farming, intensive commercial raised bed agriculture, and others.

At HWUTB, the primary focus is collaboration with Kamehameha Schools and Kalakaua Culinary Institute. This program revolves around the building once known as the “Tropic Lanai” and later as the “Green Onion.” This property, built in 1951, was once the number one restaurant in old Hilo town. Over the years it passed through different hands and eventually came to such a state of disrepair that it sat vacant. When the Flynn’s saw it, they knew it would make an excellent community health center. Five years ago, Kamehameha Schools generously agreed to lease it to HWUTB at a fraction of the property's value in order to see it restored and to serve the health needs of the community.

Since that time, more than $200,000 in grants have been raised and invested. Thousands of hours of volunteer labor have gone into the renovation. This project has benefited from considerable time and expertise from the volunteer contractors and engineers, and the continuous support and encouragement from the County of Hawaii.

With the acquisition of the van completed, attention now turns to finalizing the fund-raising drive. The major remaining projects are to hook up the sewer to the county sewer system, at a cost of $80,000, as well as final renovations to the building that will require an additional $20,000.

Once open, the enterprise should rapidly become self-sustaining. The initial focus will be the Plant-based Culinary Institute for Youth at Risk. Collaborators on this program are HWUTB, Kamehameha Schools, and award winning chef Bill Salvador. Salvador has long been involved in many restaurants throughout Hawaii and once operated Kalakaua Culinary Institute at the old Hilo Hotel.

The Flynns welcome volunteers, community involvement and networking of all kinds on behalf of Health Works Under the Banyan. For additional information, contact the Hawaii Conference communication department.