Construction Industry of Maui raises $60K to be split between two scholarships in 2023

The Construction Industry of Maui kicked off the holidays early with their 7th Annual Holiday Party at The Fairmont Kea Lani. This year, the organization raised an estimated $60,000, which will be split into two $30,000 scholarships, to be awarded to selected candidates in the Class of 2023.

The event welcomed the 2023 CIM Advisory Board and graciously accepted donations for the Bob Poulson CIM Scholarships, which fund educational dreams of graduating Maui seniors who intend to bring their newly learned skills back to Maui. 

To date, the CIM has awarded $140,000 in scholarships to Maui high school graduates.

“The CIM Scholarship bears the name of a steward to our Maui Community, the late Bob Poulson,” said Joshua Berlien, CIM Chair. “Mr. Poulson, co-founder of Arita Poulson General Contracting, was integral to the formation of the Construction Industry of Maui and a leader whom we all admired. His legacy ensures that youth pursuing careers in programs such as Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, and Design, can thrive and give back to their own communities.”

Recipients of the scholarship must graduate from a Maui High School and be entering a 2- or 4-year degree program in construction, engineering, landscaping and/or other trades and design fields. Applications for scholarship recipients opens in February 2023, with awardees notified prior to the scholarship banquet, in late May 2023.

CIM received donations for the live auction from Fairmont Kea Lani, Four Seasons, Lahaina Fish Company, Maui Chamber of Commerce, Maui Plumbing, PACE Supply, Poggenpohl Kitchens, Berlien Consulting, Lanakila Creations, Premier Restoration Hawaiʻi, A Honu Space, Maui Plexiglass and Rachel Au Hoon.  More than $11,500 was raised from the live auction alone through one-of-a- kind artwork, round trip airline tickets, a Tiffany bracelet, and many more items.

“As a bit of humor, we auction a pack of twinkies under guise of ‘the last twinkies on Earth’  which was sold at $400,” added Berlien. “And an anonymous donor has committed to donating $20,000 this year and every year forward as a seed fund for the Bob Poulson Scholarship. By helping alleviate the financial burden, we are excited to help local kids to pursue their dreams.”

Moving forward, CIM has created another new program that helps young talent develop in the skilled trades, a skillset that has costs “entry” just like academic training. HPM Building Supply provided several $500 gift cards that were dispersed to young men and women starting in the skilled trades. “These cards are to fill tool bags and tool boxes to again alleviate financial burdens of starting a profession,” organizers said.