By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Columnist

There are things we should expect — even demand — our government handle. But the list of things we should expect — even desire — to do ourselves should be much longer. We should do those things simply because we can. And if you can, you should. Just because.

It's part of being grateful that you can. And if you can, it's your duty.

A colleague shared the story of one of his neighbors who has a strip of empty space between his retaining wall and the street. The neighbor takes care of his property up to the retaining wall, but the area between the wall and the street is becoming an eyesore with rubbish and weeds and whatnot. The neighbor's position is that it's not his job to clean up the place. Let the government do it.

As if "the government" doesn't have other things to worry about, like maybe people who can't take care of themselves.

Braddah, if you get two good arms and two good legs and a weed whacker that works, then it's your kuleana.

If ever there was a time to step up, that time is now.

A great example of that spirit comes from the supporters of state-sanctioned high school surfing programs.

In asking the Board of Education to, for the first time, allow public high schools to form surfing teams and hold surfing competitions, supporters came armed with ideas and commitments. It wasn't "You guys gotta do this for us" or even "You guys gotta do this for the kids"; but rather, "We will help to organize this."

Sure, adding surfing to high school sports is bound to cost the Department of Education something. The DOE has estimates up to $2.67 million per season, but the cost can be defrayed by volunteer lifeguards, volunteer instructors, volunteer organizers and donations of equipment. The great thing is that so many of those volunteers and those donors are stepping up.

There are many others who could be doing the same thing. They could be tutoring math at the school down the street, they could be teaching ballroom dance to the kids at the community center, they could be cleaning the graveyard or the stream or that pilau strip of land fronting their property.

Perhaps it never occurs to them that they should just take care of it because they can. Perhaps it's more fun to grumble about the city or the state or the people who are SUPPOSED to be doing it.

Perhaps it was because so many surfing supporters stepped up and offered to give their time and expertise that the Board of Education committee voted in favor of establishing surfing as an official high school sport after years of rejecting the idea. (A final vote on the matter by the full board is pending.)

Amazing what can happen when people who CAN, step up and do what they can because they can.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.