Beyond the fence: Army and community partners work together to clean up Dillingham Army Beach

Oahu, Hawaii – Caring for Hawaii’s coastline takes more than one organization. It takes neighbors, community partners and people willing to work togethe… Oahu, Hawaii – Caring for Hawaii’s coastline takes more than one organization. It takes neighbors, community partners and people willing to work together toward a common goal. The spirit of service brought U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and community organizations together on October 24th to conduct a coordinated cleanup at Dillingham Army Beach, highlighting the importance of partnerships in addressing shared environmental and public safety concerns. “I am extremely proud of our U.S. Army Garrison Teams who partnered with our community to make a huge difference in such a short amount of time,” said Col.

Rick Luce, Commander of U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii. “Being able to work side-by-side with the City and State, not to mention the local non-profit organizations who provide the services for the homeless and houseless is a tremendous honor and duty for our team,” Luce said. The effort was about more than removing debris. It demonstrated how collaboration across government agencies and community organizations can address shared challenges while creating opportunities for service and civic engagement. Among the participating organizations was Hawaii Youth Challenge Academy, a program that helps young teens and adults develop leadership, discipline, life skills and a sense of personal responsibility.