The Hawaii Cannabis Organization would like to thank all the attendees of this 4th event in Hilo to support Cannabis patients and caregivers in Hawaii. Your purchase of advance tickets provided the necessary funding for printing flyers and getting the message out about the event. Thanks for helping others become aware of the event.
Mahalo nui 808 Tobacco, Inc. for listening to patient’s needs and being the event’s Education Sponsor. With their help we were able to enjoy a larger venue with multiple classrooms. Mahalo to 808 Tobacco for the awesome rigs and making the 7:30 raffle memorable with your surprise gifts. Those were da bomb and the winners were super stoked! It was a special day for patients interested in learning about the latest products and services. Healthy consumption alternatives to smoking joints are a key part of Cannabis medicine for many patients. Vaporizers designed to make Cannabis consumption safer than cigarette smoking were promoted. 808 Tobacco are making dozens of other smoking alternatives available to patients in their local retail stores. 808 Tobacco have been very responsive to patient needs.
The following gratitude is based on feedback from attendees and shared in the order of events.
Mahalo to our volunteers. For showing up the day before, during and after the event to perform all of the tasks necessary to deliver an amazing event.
Mahalo to Doctor Clif Otto for his mic drop in the opening session. Patients and industry stakeholders got valuable insights into current and needed legislation. Dr. Otto separated fact from fiction in plant definition, transportation of Cannabis and hemp oil products. Dr. Otto helped attendees better understand a complex myriad of laws and regulations that still elude those not in attendance. More than 50 attendees can now better understand the state Cannabis program. Special mahalo to Dr, Otto for flying in from Oahu to advocate for patients in Hawaii.
Mahalo to Cannabis Nurse and patient advocate Wendy Gibson for elevating awareness in two separate classes. Representing the Medical Cannabis Coalition of Hawaii and the Drug Policy Forum Wendy provided deep insights in the process of becoming a patient. She shared many ways patients can support and get involved in upcoming Cannabis legislation this January. Wendy is a really great friend and a key event coordinator bridging awareness across islands. She’ll be a valuable asset to the upcoming Hawaii Cannabis Expo on Oahu. Mahalo Wendy for creating magic at our local event.
Mahalo to Chrissie and Tyler from the Hilo Grow Shop. Having already supported three previous events, the Hilo Grow Shop have become well-known in the cultivation community with their organic products and grow-how, know-how. Hilo Grow Shop’s booth at the event was top-shelf and has inspired us to have a “Best Booth” contest at future events.
Mahalo to Ipswich Automation for their sponsorship and for bringing the latest greenhouse automation technology to Hilo. While Steve and Steve had planned on attending, their home state of Massachusetts recently legalized Cannabis. Before Hawaii’s patient program stalled it made sense for them to attend where dispensaries were opening. We’re thankful for sending their robots. Special thanks to Greg and Lars of Third Valley Apps for stepping in and setting up the live “Gro-Bot” demos. Attendees minds were blown when they saw the automated clone machine and commercial-scale automation robot. Under a special arrangement with Ipswich Automation we can make available a commercial Gro-Bot available for an interested business with a need for greenhouse automation. We are in the process of identifying a Hawaii-based location and create inter-plant Cannabis communications between the mainland East Coast and Hawaii. Visit Ipswich Automation for details.
Mahalo to Doctor Denel Andreas for working the Trade Show floor and sharing her experience serving thousands of patients in Washington. Her Cannabis knowledge and compassionate care are an incredible asset to Hawaii patients and the larger medical community waking up to Cannabis treatments. Mahalo for your guidance and leadership.
Mahalo to Cannabis patient and entrepreneur Michael Nizo, patient and owner of Nizo Natural Precision for bringing his custom Cannabis products to the event. His designer collection of Cannabis insignia gifts and jewelry were well received and we’re all excited to collaborate with Nizo Precision on future events. A special mahalo to Lee Michael Walczuk for introducing us to Michael.
Mahalo to Nurse Kristin Wohlschlagel for bringing insights into Cannabis research and treatments. Perhaps the most knowledgeable Cannabis nurse in the state, Kristin’s awareness of chronic pain and cancer treatments are deep and wide. Her patients in North Hawaii are experiencing tremendous benefits from her awareness and Cannabis knowledge. Over and over we heard beginner and advanced patients give thanks for her presence and presentations. We’re especially grateful for her ability to communicate deep complex topics in an easy to understand format. Minds were blown, jaws were dropped and awareness was elevated by those fortunate enough to attend her classes.
Mahalo to natural farmer Eric Weinert for bringing his world-class knowledge of natural farming techniques for Cannabis cultivation. “I can’t wait to get home and try this” was heard nearly as many times as, “thank you so much” by attendees of his class. Eric or “Drake” as his friends know him, explained the value of IMO soil inputs for whole plant medicine. We’ve heard this before from “Doctors Who Grow” and caregivers in Hawaii.
Mahalo to Mike Ruggles for taking time away from his legal battles to share timely insights into patient rights and needs for the upcoming legislative session. His Pain Management Collective Puuhonua are fighting everyday for patient rights in Hawaii. With his support and your direction action we will all retain the right to grow and consume Cannabis medicine. Mike and his collective are literally fighting for their freedom and when they win, we all win. Nowhere else in Hawaii are the stakes higher than his fight for personal freedom and the rights of patients in all our communities. Listening to Mike’s presentation reminds us to ask, “How many children must die from Cannabis-treatable diseases before we pass sensible legislation?”
Mahalo to Bill Collins from Big Island Extracts on several levels. For stepping up to help coordinate everything. Without Bill’s support chaos would have ensued in the days leading up to the event. For his presentation on safe and effective Cannabis medicine preparations a critical topic many patients needed to learn. Not all patients can simply roll and smoke a joint. Bill explained the right way to produce medicine in-depth. His presentation helped clarify SOPs, safety protocols and affordable techniques for extraction, concentration and proven medicinal preparations that are safe and extremely effective. Bill Collins, closed a wide knowledge gap for attending patients and medical professionals.
Mahalo to Kirk Trombla for his handcrafted Hawaiian Pipes. These were a big hit in the raffle and we saw many attendees buying pipes from his incredible assortment. Special mahalo to Kirk for leading a group of chronic pain sufferers raise their voices and get the support they desperately need.
Mahalo Josiah Hunt from Pacific Biochar. Josiah shared his wealth of pyrogenic organic matter aka “biochar” knowledge with a group of Cannabis cultivators. The session blossomed into a discussion that brought natural farming, effective micro organisms and biochar together. Cannabis plant medicine is now inspiring on a “whole” new level. Mahalo Josiah for bringing your experience and wisdom to Cannabis cultivation.
Mahalo Tim Lloyd for his love of the soil and Tim’s help promoting the event. Tim has been advocating for effective microorganisms and organic soil building before our first sustainability forum in 2010. His knowledge of soil is vast. Tim shared the stage with some of our island’s most knowledgeable Cannabis cultivators and helped attendees understand how to easily get started with this most important aspect of whole plant medicine. Tim helped promote the event and brought his EM Awareness products to the event trade show.
Mahalo to Michael Tivana from Green Sun Solutions for sharing his love for the Cannabis plant. His compassionate cloning techniques result in medicine that heals the mind body and spirit.
Mahalo to Dee Ann and Jim Berg for serving patients all day and coming over to elevate our awareness in the evening. Sharing their knowledge based on thousands of interactions with patients on Hawaii Island was truly inspiring. Their support of patients is unsurpassed and we were all truly blessed to have the opportunity to ask questions, talk story and listen to their perspectives on Cannabis.
Mahalo to Kristine Kubat, Founder of the New Leaf magazine for coming to the event, spending time in classes and the trade show and capturing the moments that made up the day. Her efforts to help bring Cannabis to the mainstream are greatly appreciated and necessary to grow an industry.
Mahalo to Wahine Grown and all the women who grow Cannabis in Hawaii!
Mahalo to Ke Ola Magazine for supporting all things healthy and beautiful in Hawaii!
Double mahalo nui to all the vendors for providing AHHsome giveaways for the raffle. We were able to run 5 different raffles during the day. Around 30 folks stayed till the end for the big raffle prizes in an intimate setting in the Kaikodo Ballroom.
Special Mahalo to Linus for his post event support with recyclables and repackaging the Ipswich Automation greenhouse Gro-Bot!
Special Mahalo to Delia Montgomery for starting work on the event months before the event date. Her research and marketing support helped us reach audiences that we could not have reached without her help. She and Mary Gambaro work tirelessly all day long at the front door. If you’ve ever done this you know it can be a thankless, grueling jobs greeting hundreds of attendees. Together Delia and Mary help us meet critical financial goals, sold t-shirts and introduced attendees to the people from 7am to closing. Mahalo a nui loa!
Special mahalo for Roger Christie for his ambassadorship during the event. A nationally recognized leader in Cannabis legalization and religious Cannabis freedom, Roger and his wife Share have both lost their freedom fighting for what many may learn to take for granted in the coming years. The next time you see Roger please give him a hug for dedicating his life to Cannabis. We were extremely honored to have his presence and sharing his wisdom at the event. Our island Cannabis communities have been blessed to share in Roger’s love of the plant. We owe a special debt of gratitude to Roger and Share for advocating so hard, for so long for our spiritual sovereignty with Cannabis. It is with hope and blessings that we think of Share as she sat in prison for Cannabis during this event. We all wish Share and Roger peace, happiness, health and freedom as we work towards sensible Cannabis legislation and religious freedom.
Special mahalo to Brian Murphy for many many years of dedication and high prices he has paid to help Cannabis patients on Maui. When Brian said he was making the trip we all breathed a sigh of relief knowing he would be elevating awareness among attendees. Mahalo for all your service to Cannabis the plant we love and to the people of Maui you have helped for so long.
Special mahalo to the industry representatives in attendance of the event. Mahalo for risking your time, energy and capital to build our emerging supply-chains, dispensaries and retail operations for the patients you will one day serve. Mahalo to our local business owners who have supplied patients and caregivers in Hawaii through the toughest times and for surviving. Your dedication is greatly appreciated and will be rewarded as we sort out the legislation necessary to grow our local economy.
Special mahalo to those who didn’t make it to the event. Your messages were well received and gave us hope for next year. But first, we at the Hawaii Cannabis Organization have some promises to deliver including; diligence in restoring patient rights and the steady supply of medicine taken by ill-informed decision makers. We will continue working towards a legal defense fund for those who are jailed for growing, consuming giving care to patients. We will continue testifying, writing letters and publishing posts to raise awareness. We will continue along our individual and collective paths of Cannabis stewardship. With your help we will never stop learning. Along the way we will share with you our awareness shifts in hopes that you will do the same for others.
I’m writing this after attending the funeral of my Aunty Rita who recently passed from cancer. After days of months of event preparation, days of traveling and a deep loss in my heart, I’d like to dedicate this event as I believe she would have wanted, to all the children suffering needlessly from Cannabis-treatable diseases and the educators with the power to change perceptions of healthcare for children. She worked tirelessly to educate children as long as I’ve known her and I can feel her nod of approval as I must have felt when she held me as a baby.
We lost too many this year. Too many Aunties, Uncles, Moms, Dads, Sisters, Brothers, friends and loved ones. 2017 doesn’t have to end this way. We also had many survivors. Stories of Cannabis successes bringing people back from the edge, to live and share their stories of hope. I’m asking you to help stop this Cannabis prohibition madness and start using Cannabis as it was intended… to help heal and bring us together to raise our awareness.
Hawaii Loves You
mahalo a nui loa ka kou
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