A family of part-time Turtle Bay Ocean Villas residents recently made a $14,000 donation to the Kahuku Public Library Bookmobile project through a silent auction at Turtle Bay Resort: Pictured at right, family member Fiona Matson, 11, presents the check to Kahuku Library Branch Manager Fran Corcoran.

The extended Matson family along with Bob Boyle, Turtle Bay Resort Vice President & General Manager as well as several other representatives from the resort, joined Fiona to present the check to the library on August 18.

Fiona's uncle, Henry Matson, explained his brother Tom Matson and family, who live in Lafayette, California (north of San Francisco), and he and his wife, Paulette, who live in Long Beach, California, own a villa at Turtle Bay where they live part-time and plan to start building a new home on Kawela Bay in September. The Matson brothers are businessmen: Henry's in wireless communications and Tom owns a company that provides financial services to the disabilities community.

"We've been coming here regularly — once a month for the past couple of years — and we're members of the St. Roch's Catholic parish in Kahuku, where we've been actively involved with Father Sid Fernandez in support of the church," Tom said.

"It's wonderful to be part of a project that has such a high social component for our great community here on the North Shore," added Tom Matson. "It's great to be part of a program that's going to benefit all of the wonderful children around here."

Asked what prompted the family to help the library, Paulette Matson replied she grew up on the small island of Cape Breton off Nova Scotia, "and we didn't have a library. When the bookmobile came everybody stopped what they were doing, because that was the only way to get books. Today, I read about a book a week."

She added that Fiona, who's entering the sixth grade, has been reading a book a day while they have been here this time, "so it's a very appropriate thing to have her present the check," she said.

"Isn't that marvelous," Corcoran said of receiving the check. "I just cannot believe it. This is the most amazing, wonderful gift, and it will help us launch the bookmobile, hopefully in time for our anniversary on November 18, our fortieth anniversary. We're so appreciative."

She added the money will be used to help build bookshelves and put appropriate signage on the vehicle, which has been parked in the Hauula Kai Center.

Boyle explained that "three years ago Turtle Bay took on this cause with Fran [Corcoran] to ultimately put a bookmobile on the North Shore. It was just a dream that we fund with an annual silent auction. Today's check is a result of that silent auction from last year when the Matsons came and saw what we're doing. They were so excited about it, that they stepped up and matched our funds."

"This is Turtle Bay's pet project. We're very proud of it. This is what we focus on every year," Boyle said. "We make a lot of other contributions to the community, but this is our big pitch, and it just feels good to do something for the kids."

Members of the Matson family of California and Turtle Bay,
along with Turtle Bay Resort VP & GM Bob Boyle and the resort's
executive chef, mark the presentation of a $14,000 donation
to Kahuku Public & School Library's bookmobile project.

— Photos and story by Mike Foley

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