KHS Hot Topic: Harold K.L. Castle Foundation

It’s not exactly the elephant in the room, but the largest Hawaii-based private foundation has made a huge impact on Kailua without making a big fuss about it. That would be the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation. And like the historians that they are, Kailua Historical Society members plan to examine and better understand the foundation during a public forum next week.

“The Castle Legacy: 50 Years of Philanthropy” is the theme for the KHS meeting at 7 p.m. April 22 in Le Jardin Academy’s Wang Auditorium. The public is invited to attend and learn about the families, history, perspective and policies that have guided the 50-year-old foundation and its partnership with Kaneohe Ranch.

“They are the givers more than any other benefactor,” said KHS president Paul Brennan, who will moderate the panel. “It won’t be a ‘rah-rah Castle,’ but more of a mature mahalo to them, and how we can do this together.” One successful project done together was the ambitious KHS book, Kailua, which was underwritten in 2009 by Harold K.L. Castle Foundation.

Panelists include foundation executive director Terry George, Kaneohe Ranch president and CEO Mitch D’Olier, former Kaneohe Ranch president Randy Moore, banker and Kamehameha Schools trustee Corbett Kalama, and Kailua Intermediate principal Lisa DeLong.

Also planned is a powerpoint presentation of who the foundation has given to, in different categories, since 1962. Other topics are its changes in giving patterns, changes in Kailua’s needs, its most successful community investments, and how to separate the foundation, Kaneohe Ranch and the Castle family.

For more information, call Brennan at 262-7316.