LIST OF REGULAR SEA/SOS NEEDS & EXPENSES
May 26, 1998
* XEROX repairs (We saved thousands of dollars by replacing costly maintenance contract with repair work only when actually needed -- as now)
* CAR repairs: * Volvo needs brake repair (foot brakes not working)
* Volvo needs regular legally required safety check & overhaul
* PAPER ORDER: Ingram Paper Co. Needs: Various sizes, colors & weights for Xerox
machine & Computer printer
* HEWLETT PACKARD Flatbed Scan Jet 4P not working; needs adjustments
* AT&T Codaphone answering system not working, needs repair or replacement
* SHOP DESKTOP EQUIPMENT: * Envelopes * Postage stamps * Replacement of
worn-out hand-carrying case * Krazy Glue * Picture frames
* JAPAN SURFING MUSEUM NEEDS: * Temporary cash for two koa planks for Alaia
boards and redwood for two planks to be later paid from Japan Museum. Also, need stain, sandpaper and possible other elements
* SEA & SOS COSTS FROM REGULAR WORK, TRIPS & TRAVEL
* BANNER CLOTHS AND PAINTS NEEDED BY MAUI'S SOS FIGHTING FOR MA'ALAIA
NOTE: In 1968, Tony Van Kralingen approached us with a generous offer to help build a printshop and train us in its necessary working skills. We all shouted in positive appreciation and the first printshop of its kind soon sprang into powerful use on King Street. As greedy property owners kept raising the rent we had to move the shop to Palama Street then Waipahu, then finally after six months of digging two huge rocks the size of a Volkswagen from under our home, it moved here.
In 1973, Surfing Education Association (SEA) was conceived, applied for and granted by the U.S. Federal Government based on John M. Kelly's written and applied applications as an approved non-profit agency. Elected as voluntary President of SEA, John learned its needed skills, maintained its motives, methods and many political successes including donations in the thousands from friends of surfing, of SOS and of SEA for a quarter of a century with totally free labor and no basic problems whatsoever. President Kennedy's Secretary of the Interior -- Stewart Udall -- came to Hawai'i in 1971 to interview SOS as in his attached article published across America. Since 1968, SOS has successfully informed and organized many thousands of surfers and friends whose knowledge and united strength has won over 40 major issues involving the islands coastal environment, Native Hawaiian culture, needs, and skills and several extant laws SOS introduced pertaining to endangered coastal resources in the Hawaiian Islands.
Aware of the incredible expansion of local and foreign capital in destructive coastal interventions throughout the Islands, and the critical role our SOS printshop has had since 1968, John proposed that SOS help set up similar printshops on Kauai, Maui and Hawai'i for which we have been planning various ways of raising funds for
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that very useful and legal purpose as with the shop at 4117 Black Point.
One of them proposed by George Downing of SOS and SEA to the Surfing Industry Manufacturer's Association (SIMA) resulted in SIMA's invitation to JK for a half-hour illustrated lecture in Los Angeles in December '96 followed by a huge surfing party three months later at which they generously donated $2O,000 to SEA to help with our planned new SOS movement groups on the three outside islands.
With economic down-sliding but never-ending profit-seeking investments in Hawaii's tourist industry from Japan and elsewhere among the world's greedy corporate power structures, Waikiki, Ewa, the North and East shores of O'ahu and other areas are still sharply threatened by further privatized urbanization!
Knowing this as we do, I launched an attempt at fund raising about 14 months ago through the sweepstakes, now a worldwide money movement.
Here is the result.
As a newcomer to their methods, I spent several thousand dollars from my saving accounts before any rollback seemed evident. At the beginning, I used both my banking and savings accounts of social security income. That quickly melted away with no returns. To keep the accounts alive and in line for legitimate returns as described below, however, I temporarily borrowed some cash which others felt might threaten our agency.
My reasoning was and remains within the absolute aim of raising funds for use completely within both our federal and state government-approved aims as in this statement by the State of Hawaii:
"Nature of activities (describe fully) Conduct research in surf sports and shoreline usage, their value to the community, conduct public forums and disseminate information on their environmental requirements, preservation and related matters."
Not a single penny has John Kelly ever spent for the purpose or purposes of his private gain in all these years by or from any of my funds, accounts, gifts or loans! My entire adult life has been devoted to the essence of the above paragraph as reflected in Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall's nationally published article, and in our own millions of leaflets, brochures, 10,000 color slides, recorded lectures and innumerable photographs packed in the SOS printshop and -- as occurs often -- still frequent sleepless nights of work at home will prove.
For all these 25 years since SEA was approved by the federal and state governments, I haven't spent either time or money for "private gain" of any sort! My pants, shirts, shorts, pocket knife, hair comb, slippers, stockings and old rusty used car have all been generously given to me by family and friends, the source of the donated clothing, etc., being cheap weekend garage sales!
I hope this brief resume will squash anyone's suspicion of "private gain" in my life and work since the mid '60's when I started the Save Our Surf movement.
Since last Friday's mail, I have been legally assured of many tens of thousands of dollars from the sweepstakes programs, far more than we've ever had given, every penny of which goes into the aims and work described above! With heartfelt sincerity, I urge you to abolish your disturbingly time-consuming and distrustful requirement of written approval by any other member of SEA of any check of our 501(c)(3) agency. I am no longer a child among my family and best friends.