Big Island Pop Warner Club Funds Stolen – $150,000

[birdmove]

From Damon Tucker's Hawaii News and Information website.

http://damontucker.com/2013/11/16/big-is...unt-funds/



Jon in Keaau/HPP

[Guest]

Birdmove thank you for the post. Being from here, I can tell you all, that this is NOT a surprise. I pulled two of my boy's from this program 5 years ago knowing this was not something I wanted them to be part of. I loved seeing the enthusiasm by the kids and parents pulling together to try and rebuild a program that had similar problems in the past. This is another chance for our FINEST to show up and rattle some cages of some folks who deserve it for a change. Similar things like this has happened all to often in this area. The Kids are the ones who lose out and have dreams and experiences taken away every time. In the past the folks responsible have gotten slaps on the wrist if you ask me. Sometimes I am sorry to say I am from here, this is one of those times. Puna can use a cleaning. P.S Maybe Mr Blaus can shed some light into what could have happened?.

[reni]

Mahalo for the post......and Mahalo to Damon Tucker. I hope that the parents of the children are resolute in demanding prosecution. Read some of the parent's comments. Maybe they can all work together to form another league for their children.......if Pop Warner has become as corrupted as the posts imply. Fraud is not the role model we want for our children. A similar situation happened with our grandson's Cub Scout organization in Island County WA. The Cub Scout organization chose NOT to prosecute because of the negative publicity it would bring to their organization.
I considered their position more egregious than the original fraud.

[Carey]

Just covered on KFVE TV... hopefully the coverage will bring the kids to the championships AND the spotlight on the ex-treasurer....and maybe even justice for both...

[kalakoa]

The problem is much larger than this awful incident.

Missing money was discovered in FEBRUARY 2012, and it appears that the investigation was stymied by nepotism.

[Guest]

Bingo, Kalakoa. Right again. Maybe 150,000 is chump change, But to kids it's big dreams. Some woman will take the fall for many other's who were involved. Fred Blaus use to drive to all those games in his nice new yellow sport's car and support what was happening on and off the field. It would be nice to hear what he has to say about this happening to our community under his watch. Or was he to busy paving his road and washing his car's to notice anything else?. I also know that there were a lot of police at most games to watch there kids play and to keep the environment clean. At first I was looking to see how this was going to be covered up so the black-eye wouldn't be exposed. Now I look forward to who takes the fall for many. How are the stolen funds going to be replaced for the kids?. Maybe county, or our broke state, or maybe the police slush fund paid for by the honest and hard working?. Shame shame shame to those all involved and for such slow action.

[Guest]

P.S I hope this does not affect the 2014 Pahoa high's football program?. I know there completely different organizations, but the same kids, coaches, are some of the same. Even more important now to make sure there is a football program for the kids now don't you think?. Or will a few steal this from our community and children too?. (DAGGER GAMES NEXT YEAR?.)2014

[Greg]

Pahoa High School is restarting their football program? They haven't fielded a team since the late 1990's.

[Guest]

Well this was the intentions, was to move these kids up into a J.V level first. I would hear about it at wrestling events from the coaching staffs, as well as from the A.D out here. But it did seem fishy to me that I was not reading anything about it. Well time will tell because there will be no kid shortage this time around. Haas and Pahoa should be able to field a team 2014. It would be nice to see parents, kids, and community come together again with the spirit of aloha again for these games. Really this is a separate organization right?. Pop-warner and public school's don't share funds so we should still be good to GO. I know the kids are looking forward to next year.

[Greg]

Pahoa High School is restarting their football program? They haven't fielded a team since the late 1990's