Self-reliance rules!

By Jennifer J. Foster

Published: April 9, 2009

From my Twitter feed @jefoster):

Forget the government: Behold, the resounding success of sweet self-reliance! http://tinyurl.com/da4rfk

This CNN story explores how business owners and residents on Hawaii’s Kaua’i island got tired of waiting and depending on the government for $4 million to repair an access road and bridge to a state park. Local jobs and the survival of small businesses depend on the tourism in that park, and officials with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources told the residents that it could be two years before they could turn up the dough.

Well, the community decided that was too long to wait. So they banded together, and volunteers got the job done in ... EIGHT DAYS.

“We can wait around for the state or federal government to make this move, or we can go out and do our part,“ (local business owner Ivan) Slack said. “Just like everyone’s sitting around waiting for a stimulus check, we were waiting for this but decided we couldn’t wait anymore.“

The road and bridge are ready, so only one question remains: How long will it take the state to certify the bridge so the park can reopen?