Volunteer and Support Opportunities
Welcome! As a member of the Puna Hongwanji family, we embrace your involvement and support in whatever way suits you best, whether as a member, friend, or supporter!
Anpan/Bread Making*
Anpan (a bun with red beans inside) and milk bread are made in alternate months from January to October every 4th Wednesday. 1st shift volunteers come in the early morning around 3:00 a.m., 2nd shift group comes around 5:00 a.m., and other volunteers (members’ friends too) come in whenever they can.
A bag containing two anpan is currently $3.50 and a loaf of milk bread is currently $5.50. There is a deadline for orders and people come to pick up, or we also do delivery for large orders.
Anpan/Bread group is a Kyodan committee and the funds raised are used for kitchen repairs, needs and improvements.
*As of 2024, it has been suspended due to Covid-19 and is now only made for special occasions.
Puna Project Dana
Puna Project Dana is a volunteer nondenominational organization which is an approved activity of Puna Hongwanji. Dana means “selfless-giving without expecting anything in return.”
The purpose of Project Dana is to “provide a variety of faith-based volunteer services to the frail elderly, the disabled and caregivers who are in need of social support in order to maintain a reasonable quality of life.” As we were born as a human being, we will surely experience aging, sickness, death and that of family and friends. No one can replace other person’s life, yet we can be there to be a help to others.
Services include home visitation, call visitation, transportation, and so on. You may apply as a client or a volunteer.
Our coordinators are Stella Miyashiro and Richard Solie.
For more information, email at punadana2@gmail.com
“I slept and I dreamed that life is full of joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy.” (Kahlil Gibran)
Hi-Lites Newsletter
Hi-Lites is our monthly newsletter. The Hi-Lites team edits, folds newsletters, and mails out. You are invited to help us prepare the newsletters for mailing, which we usually do in the last week of the month.
Members and friends can receive a newsletter through mail or email. If you wish to receive via email, let us know at hilites@punahongwanji.org. If you wish to submit your article or opinion, please send it to hilites@punahongwanji.org by the 15th of each month.
We also distribute a weekly email to share updates. If you would like to receive it, please let us know at mpunahongwanji@twc.com
Events/Activities
Throughout a year, there are many events and activities at Puna Hongwanji or off-site. You and your friends are cordially invited to participate. Also, your help will be greatly appreciated. Announcements will be made as need arises.
Donation
Our temple is supported by members’ dues and fundraising activities, helped by friends and the community. Your monetary, material, and non-material donations are always welcomed and appreciated. Donations are tax deductible.
Our physical address is 16-492 Old Volcano Road, Keaaau, Hawaii 96749
Mailing address is PO Box 100, Keaau, HI 96749
Boutique
Puna Hongwanji operates a boutique store that opens in conjunction with special events like rummage sales and craft fairs to generate income for the temple. If you have items you wish to donate, we welcome your contributions! We also offer pickup services based on specific circumstances. To arrange a donation or for more information, please contact us at 808-966-9981 or email mpunahongwanji@twc.com
Yard Maintenance
Puna Hongwanji is blessed with beautiful trees, nicely maintained lawns, hedges and peaceful gardens. Every other Tuesday morning around 7:30 a.m., volunteers come to do yard maintenance. They mow the lawns, trim the trees and hedges, pull out weeds, clean up falling branches and rake and dispose the debris. Please come and help keep Puna Hongwanji “Green” clean and nice. You may also volunteer to do yard maintenance at other times.
Repair & Maintenance
Buildings and facilities of Puna Hongwanji Mission are: Main temple, Columbarium, women’s & men’s bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, social hall, minister’s office, Dharma School room, Sr. YBA room, the parsonage and a garage.
Members take care of facilities and repair them as need arise. All existing buildings were built with members donating financial help and labor.
If you have any skills such as carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, painting, etc. please share your talents with us.
Board Of Directors
Board of Directors are the decision-making body of Puna Hongwanji, meeting every third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. Please see Board of Directors in the About Us section of the website for a listing of officers and committee chairs. Maybe there is an area where you would like to share your skills and talents!
Toban System
“Toban” translates to “on duty.” It denotes a volunteer work group, typically organized by districts such as Hilo, Keaau, Mt. View/Kurtistown/Volcano, and Pahoa. While toban groups are generally formed based on the members’ residential areas, individuals are free to join any group they choose. Currently, the groups are designated as Group 1 through Group 4.
Toban follow a monthly rotation schedule. Each toban works 3 months in a year and is assigned to clean up or prepare refreshments once a week for a month. The cleaning toban cleans the temple, columbarium, office, and bathrooms, changing altar flowers for the temple, columbarium and the monuments outdoors. Toban once prepared refreshments for every Sunday service. However, now refreshments are prepared only for major services, not every Sunday.
Also, when there is a special event occurring at a temple/off site, toban groups may be asked to help prepare refreshments.
If you’re interested in helping, please speak to a member or the minister. The names of the toban chairs can be found on the dining room calendar or on the bulletin board.
We feel alive when we do things for not only ourselves, but also for others.
I appreciate the sentiment of not asking what your temple can do for you, but rather what you can do for your temple. If you possess a skill or have time to contribute, we would love to hear from you! We value your support and the time you spend with us. Working and volulnteeriing may be tiring at times, but it is always filled with laughter and joy.