In Honor of Pat Rice

Pat Rice had a gift: an ability to see, and believe in, two versions of the world at once. Always present in the moment, Pat saw Mālaʻai exactly as we were and, importantly, also as we could be.

Mālaʻai would not be the thriving, sustainable organization it is today without Pat’s passion for school garden education and her steadfast belief in what our garden could become. Throughout her many years of service to the Waimea Middle School community, Pat made sure the garden had a place at the table. She included Mālaʻai in funding opportunities, helped secure the resources we needed to grow, and championed our work as we developed into the high-quality outdoor learning environment our students experience today. We are deeply grateful for her belief in us and for the many ways she helped turn possibility into reality.

At the request of Pat’s family, this page has been created to receive donations in her honor and to carry forward her legacy of support for Mālaʻai: The Culinary Garden of Waimea Middle School.

Gifts made in Pat’s memory will directly support the outdoor classroom she believed in so deeply. Donations help provide garden supplies such as soil, seeds, tools, and gloves; culinary equipment and ingredients; art and instructional materials; and, most importantly, the teachers and guest instructors who create a safe, engaging, and productive learning environment for our haumāna.

Right now, we are putting gifts toward several needs and projects close to the everyday life of the garden:

• A lilikoi arbor, so our students can grow lilikoi and make Pat’s delicious lilikoi butter
• A weed whacker, to help us care for the garden
• A new tool set, including drills, for the many projects our students and staff undertake together

If there is something specific you would like your gift to support, please let us know in the “Optional Note” when making your donation.

Mahalo nui loa for your love for Pat and, through that love, for your support of Mālaʻai and the generations of Waimea students who will continue to learn and grow here.

If you would prefer to mail a check and avoid processing fees, please select “send payment offline” when entering your information on the next page. Mahalo!