Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Friday, June 21, 2013
Molokai’s Larry Helm dies
By Malia Zimmerman @ 8:31 PM :: 6505 Views :: Maui County, Military

Molokai’s Larry Helm dies, others pledge to carry on his work for veterans

Larry Helm Larry Helm

By Malia Zimmerman, Watchdog.org, June 21, 2013

KAUNAKAKAI, MOLOKAI – Larry Helm, a well-known advocate for military veterans on the island of Molokai, has died after a battle with cancer.

Helm, 70, spearheaded the Molokai Veterans Caring for Veterans’ effort to build a 3,000-square-foot veterans center on Wharf Road just outside the island’s main town of Kaunakakai. (See related story: ‘Bureaucratic abuse’: Hawaii vets wait a decade for center, services.)

The Vietnam veteran, who long helped other veterans obtain the healthcare and financial services they needed, had no idea of the bureaucracy he’d encounter trying to build the center.

That story began more than a decade ago when Helm and a team of volunteers first tried to get permits for the center. That paper chase took more than seven years — and more than doubled the cost of the project, from $250,000 to over a half a million dollars. Following its complaint in U.S. District Court against Maui County, the non-profit won $200,000 and a mayoral apology, and was allowed to proceed with construction.

After Helm fell ill several weeks ago, his daughter Nichol and his son Michael took over the effort to raise the final $100,000 needed to finish the project in hopes it could be completed in time for their father to see the official opening.

They raised $25,000 at a June fundraiser. While Helm was able to see much of the completed project, there’s still work on the parking lot, sewer system and kitchen appliances ahead.

Helm’s friend U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-HI, gave a speech from the House floor this week about Helm’s heroics. (Video available here.) On Friday, Gabbard said she was deeply saddened to learn of Helm’s death.

“He spent his entire life fighting battles in service to our country, our communities, and our selfless veterans, and he fought courageously in his final battle with cancer,” Gabbard said. “My thoughts and prayers are with his family during this terribly difficult time.”

Gabbard acknowledged what many on the island of Molokai already know: Helm’s absence will be felt among the entire Moloka‘i community and across the state.

Gabbard, a veteran herself, pledged to continue the fight to get the center funded and opened.

“As I promised him when I last saw him a few weeks ago on Molokai, I will continue to work toward fulfilling his dream of opening a veterans center on the island, which will provide much-needed services to veterans and their families,” Gabbard said.

read ... more

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii