About THE ROTARY CLUB OF HANALEI BAY

John Tyler, a local water safety expert, came to Rotarian Robert Dickstein in 2008 and asked if the Rotary Club could support the cost and actual installation of a few Rescue Tubes. Robert took the idea to then President Jeff Goodman. Jeff knew that Dr. Monty Downs, President of the Kauai Lifeguard Association, had begun placing Rescue Tubes on Kauai and the club decided to support Dr. Downs’ activities with the donation of $500 and help for additional Rescue Tube installations. The project continued to grow for the next couple of years with support of Rotary Clubs around the island.

In 2010 Branch Lotspeich and John Gillen formed the Rescue Tube Foundation, a 501(c)3) nonprofit. The Rescue Tube Foundation has redesigned the rescue tube and it’s graphics, designed a new and easier mount-ing system, and promoted the use of Rescue Tubes on all the Hawaiian Islands. Today there are over 260 Rescue Tubes on Kauai,  approximately 100 tubes on the Big Island, approxmately 120 Rescue Tubes on Maui, 6 Rescue Tubes on Lanai and 4 Rescue Tubes on Molokai. 

Rescue Tubes are personal flotation devices to be used to stabilize distressed swimmers before rescue by our lifeguards.  We know ap-proximately 160 rescues have occurred on Kauai and those are only the ones we know of! There have been many rescues on the other Hawaiian islands as well. All known rescues have been successful and most importantly, no rescuer has ever been injured when using one of the rescue tubes. The Rotary Club of Hanalei  Bay is proud of initiating this life-saving work alongside the Kauai Lifeguard Association here on Kauai.

The Growing Our Own Teachers (aka GOOT) program started in Nov. 2006 when Dr. Connie Blackwell spoke to our Rotary Club about the program.  RCHB decided to adopt the program  and raised $53,000 to help the first 

13 teacher candidates.

The Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay partnered with GOOT and provided scholarships for local, home grown teacher candidates. This gives them the financial boost they need to complete their studies. GOOT incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in 2007, with its own board and the rest is history. GOOT  has raised over $350,000 and assisted around 70 locals to get their teaching degree. According to Bill Arakaki, Former Area Superintendent of Schools,  Kaua’i is the only island without a shortage of elementary teachers.

In January of 2013, Ric Cox stood before the Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay (RCHB) proposing a challenge to make a significant impact at Kilauea Elementary School. He asked for his fellow Rotarians to join him in adopting each of Kilauea’s 13 classrooms at $700 a pop; $500 for classroom supplies and $200 that would allow each teacher to take their class on a meaningful field trip.  Within just a few weeks all 13 classrooms had been adopted. The program grew exponen-tially and by 2015, all 229 homeroom teachers at Kauai’s 12 public elementary schools were adopted.  Additionally, 49 after school clubs were offered through what has become the “Adopt an After-School Club “program.

Ric’s most lofty and “breathtakingly bold” goal was to create a 25 Million dollar endowment that would provide, in perpetuity, the revolutionary support to public education that was so desperately needed on Kaua’i.  Sadly, on April 13th, 2017, our Aloha Angel Ric suddenly passed away. Key philanthropists and friends quickly stepped into Ric’s shoes ushering in the next chapters of Aloha Angels and their programs are still going strong with a focus in 2024-2025 on expanding and enhancing their Adopt an After-School Club Programs.