HAWAII 3R’S PROJECT AT MILILANI IKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REPAINTS EXTERIOR OF EIGHT PORTABLE CLASSROOMS

40 Volunteers from American Savings Bank will be painting on Saturday, October 13, 2007 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Hawaii 3R’s has awarded a grant of $50,000 to Mililani Ike Elementary School to repaint the exterior of eight portables. If these projects had been completed by the State Department of Education, it is estimated that this project would have cost $100,000. However, through volunteer support and good contractor relations, this project is being completed for half of the estimated cost.

“I am so proud of our employees, as we head into the third year of our Seeds of Service program contributing over 6,000 total volunteer hours to public, private, and charter schools, in addition to non-profit organizations. We are pleased to partner with a non-profit like Hawaii 3R’s to help improve our schools, all while having lots of fun and building camaraderie,” said Constance Lau, Chairman, President and CEO of American Savings Bank.

This is the second project that American Savings Bank has partnered with Hawaii 3R’s to provide volunteer services to a school. Last year, volunteers from the new Pearl City Walmart branch of American Savings Bank painted planters and planted plants at Pearl City High School.

According to Bruce Coppa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hawaii 3R’s, “These corporate partnerships are especially important to us because we know that a community-minded organization like American Savings Bank will continue to partner with us at many schools around the State. The effort that they put forth to give back to the community is impressive.”

In 2001, U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye began an initiative called Hawaii 3R’s (Repair, Remodel, and Restore Hawaii’s public schools). Working with State agencies, trade unions, businesses, military, community leaders, parents, teachers, and students, the goal is to match State, federal and private funds with volunteerism – “sweat equity” – both skilled and unskilled, to assist the State in reducing the backlog of repair and maintenance projects.

Since 2001, Hawaii 3R’s has awarded 317 grants totaling $9.3 million to public schools statewide for repair and maintenance projects. The State estimates that it would have cost $22.5 million to complete these projects.

Hawaii 3R’s has received funding from the State and Federal governments. It has also received funding from the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, Hawaii Community Foundation, Campbell Estate and the James and Abigail Campbell Foundation, AT&T Foundation, American Savings Bank, and Prudential Locations.

Hawaii 3R’s awards grants to proactive public schools that step forward with volunteers and/or private contributions of equal or greater value to the requested grant amount.

For more information, please visit our website at www.hawaii3rs.com .