Posted on: Thursday, July 15, 2004

Businesses come to church's aid

By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer

HAU'ULA — Time was running out for the oldest Hawaiian church in Windward O'ahu despite the best efforts of the tiny congregation that has worked for years to save the landmark structure.

But just after learning that the building was on the verge of collapse, the congregation has been blessed by a number of companies that will pitch in to help rebuild the walls for a fraction of the total cost.

Tom Robertson, of Robertson Woodworks, had volunteered to help with refurbishing the church but after seeing the structure and talking to the pastor, he decided to do more and has lined up four companies that will pitch in with cost savings and free labor.

For at least six years, the estimated three dozen members of Kamalamalama O Keao Church have worked to keep termites at bay, doing the best they could with meager finances and volunteer labor. The last two years, they have cooked mountains of food for lu'au fund-raisers to finance restoration efforts.

But on the heels of the most recent lu'au — one of its most successful, raising $5,794 — came word from Robertson that the 72-year-old building was near collapse.

Something had to be done within six months to save the structure, said Robertson, because "it's bowing out 4 inches on one wall."

Robertson, who was once a contractor and now specializes in interior woodwork, visited the site Saturday and examined the building. He said the only thing holding the 24-by-26-foot building up is plywood nailed to the inside walls.

Robertson said he got involved after reading an Advertiser story that said a supplier wanted to charge the church $108 a board for specially milled lumber. He said he could supply koa siding for that amount and still make a 30 percent profit.

At first he told the church kahu, or pastor, that he would mill the lumber for free. But now he has arranged through friends such as Wayne Lincoln, vice president of Honsador Lumber, to supply the wood at half the cost, Robertson said yesterday.

Sandy Quipotla, of JD Painting & Decorating, will donate paint and supply some men to help paint, he said. Ken Lindgard, of Sutton Construction, will show church members how to frame, and Keith Morrill of KM Electric will disconnect the electricity.

"I just didn't want to see someone get ripped off," Robertson said, downplaying his effort and crediting his friends for helping. "All I did was make a few phone calls to some friends of mine."

The lumber for the entire exterior of the church will cost $4,200 and the project should be completed for about $5,000, Robertson said.

That is close to the amount earned at Saturday's fund-raiser, which attracted hundreds of people from around the island. The congregation has given Robertson the go-ahead to order the lumber, which should arrive in about a month.

Before hearing the news about all the help, kahu Raymond Kalili Jr. said he wasn't surprised at Robertson's assessment of the building. However, Kalili said he wasn't too worried about the building falling down because of the plywood reinforcement and some work done to shore up the church with beams.

Kalili said he was grateful for Robertson's help and for the successful fund-raiser.

"I'm so happy the way it turned out because we're a very small membership and most of us are poor," he said. "No more money."

The 38 members of the church have a big responsibility in maintaining the chapel, which has been declared a historic building. As such it must be preserved in its original form, including using lumber that matches the wood from 1932 when the church was built, said Kalili.

The 5-inch-wide lumber is rough on one side and smooth on the other. The church is of single-wall construction. The windows will also have to be replaced, and Robertson said he would do that as well as give expert advice on how to proceed.

Robertson said he has built walk-in closets that were bigger than the church and is now restoring windows and cabinets in the Bishop Museum and is grateful for the work and for all Hawai'i has given him.

"That's what we gotta do, help each other," he said. "I felt they needed the help."

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.