A huge congratulations and mahalo to Denise Antolini, Carmen Guzman-Simpliciano, and the Surfrider Foundation Maui Chapter volunteers who were recently recognized by Surfrider Foundation's national staff and board of directors for their outstanding service and contributions to our network's mission. Surfrider Foundation annually recognizes several categories of service across our national network through our annual Wavemaker Awards and while we all know our Hawaiʻi volunteers are special, it's an extreme honor for these individuals to receive this nationwide recognition. Denise Antolini received the Environmental Leadership Wavemaker, with Carmen Guzman-Simpliciano and the Maui Chapter volunteers received the Special Recognition Wavemaker.
Environmental Leadership: Denise Antolini
The Environmental Leadership award is presented to those outstanding individuals who were instrumental to a major moment of environmental activism related to a Surfrider Foundation chapter or campaign.
Denise Antolini has been an ardent supporter of Surfrider Foundation's clean water and coastal preservation initiatives for decades. As an exceptional leader in Hawaiʻi, she has single-handedly formed and lead coalitions to preserve critical North Shore Oʻahu resources, including most recently at Sharks Cove. Surfrider Foundation joined the Save Sharks Cove Alliance to protect the area from overdevelopment and impairment of critical water and recreation resources. This Alliance has been successful in preventing and abating water pollution on the North Shore of Hawaiʻi.
As a leading environmental attorney and Associate Dean at University of Hawaii School of Law, Denise has assisted Surfrider Foundation with litigation and legislation strategy under the federal Clean Water Act and Hawaiʻi state environmental laws. She was a member of the North Shore Coastal Resilience Working Group, providing critical insight and perspectives to protect the North Shore coastline. Ultimately, Denise is a passionate and powerful protector of the environment, and has engaged in environmental activism to offer tremendous support to the Surfrider Foundation network.
Special Recognition: Carmen Guzman-Simpliciano
Special Recognition is awarded to Carmen Guzman-Simplicano of Waiʻanae, Oʻahu for her tireless commitment to the community and coastal health of West Oʻahu. A mother of 4 and director of the Hawaiian-based organization Kingdom Pathways, Carmen was inspired to take action to improve coastal water quality in Pōkaʻī Bay after her youngest son contracted a full body rash and infection after swimming in the bay.
Carmen was directed to the Surfrider Oʻahu Chapter after she requested help from various state agencies and researchers to investigate the pollution in Pōkaʻī Bay, but was consistently met with roadblocks. After connecting with the Chapter’s Blue Water Task Force program, she immediately coordinated community volunteers to start sampling for enterococcus at three sites in Pōkaʻī Bay. Led by Carmen, the Waiʻanae community now has nearly two yearʻs worth of data to inform the community, lawmakers, and state agencies on where fecal pollution is putting public health at risk and how the failing breakwater is affecting water quality in the bay.
Carmen’s leadership and community ties have built a successful partnership between her organization, the Oahu Chapter’s Blue Water Task Force, the Harbor District, two local schools and their State Senator Maile Shimabukuro. This partnership has already resulted in a multi-million dollar, state-funded project to study and redesign the breakwall at Pōkaʻī Bay to improve circulation and water flow. They also just received a small grant to establish a new BWTF lab at Waiʻanae High School so the samples will not have to be transported to the chapter’s lab in Honolulu. Surfrider and these community partners will also participate in a University of Hawaiʻi lead research study investigating the impacts of extreme tides, runoff events and the breakwater on water quality at Pōkaʻī Bay. Meanwhile Carmen is still advocating tirelessly with the Hawaiʻi Department of Health to get public signs posted at beach parks about water quality advisories and to address sources of pollution like runoff from the beach shower.
Carmen’s selfless commitment to her community, positive attitude, ability to organize community members, and unwavering determination to make positive changes is bringing much needed attention, cooperation and the resources needed to address the long-standing environmental and health concerns in Pōkaʻī Bay and along the Waiʻanae coastline. Watch the video below about Carmenʻs efforts at Pōkaʻī Bay.
Special Recognition: Surfrider Maui Chapter Volunteers
Special Recognition is awarded to Maui Chapter volunteers for their resilience, adaptability, and strength in the face of the fires that devastated an entire town on Maui and significantly impacted communities on other parts of the island. The Maui Chapter faced an indescribable tragedy, one that could have put an end to, or significantly curtailed, the chapter's activities. Instead, the Maui Chapter pivoted and joined together more than ever.
Each Executive Committee member and core volunteer took on new roles and leadership, including::
- Janeen Bittmann & Maureen Brock - sharing leadership roles by keeping the chapter connected, motivated, and moving forward with events, connections with West Side/affected members, fostering animals, and more.
- Petar Kovacic - being an early on-the-ground response volunteer and pushing the Chapter to keep working towards environmental advocacy
- Nicole Rosen - keeping the community informed via the Chapter's Instagram and sourcing
- Greg Masessa - expanding water quality monitoring
- Kristina McHugh & Laura McHugh - sourcing goods and monetary donations, setting up sites, fostering animals, and keeping Chapter team members connected with updates and group texts.
- Charlie Quesnel - managing new donations and volunteering weekly at meal prep lines
- Jan Konjikusic - quickly mobilizing Surfrider supplies and hosting the first post-fire SF beach cleanup
- Jill Wirt - sourcing and delivering donations to Lahaina as well as keeping the Maui Chapter on task
In the months since the fire, the Maui Chapter has stepped in to address water quality issues and advocate for best management practices to minimize toxic runoff, safe disposal of fire related debris, and sustainable rebuilding. For all of these efforts and more, we commend you all.
