E Lele Games

09/20/2026

Today is World Cleanup Day 🌊🧹

This is how the ʻEa (Plastic) threat and Hoʻomaʻe Kahakai (Beach Cleanup) protection work together in E Lele!: ʻEa affects a bird pair in a vulnerable habitat — but Hoʻomaʻe Kahakai removes it, discarding both cards.

It's based on something very real. Plastic and marine debris are a serious threat to Hawaiian seabirds — some mistake bottle caps, lighters, and plastic fragments for food, leading to starvation or poisoning. Derelict fishing nets, or "ghost nets," entangle seabirds along with monk seals and sea turtles across the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Since 1996, over 2 million pounds of marine debris have been removed there — and the work continues every year through the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project (PMDP). You can support their efforts directly at pmdphawaii.org.

Looking for a way to take part today? Check out Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi, 808 Cleanups, Surfrider Foundation Oʻahu, or Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund (Maui and Big Island) for cleanup events happening near you.

Every card in E Lele! represents a real conservation action — including the ones you can take yourself.

E Lele! is heading to print — Late Pledges still active! Back it here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/elelegames/e-lele-go-fly-hawaiian-seabird-card-game

09/17/2026

You can be apart of helping seabird conservation keep chugging along when you shop at Foodland in the month of September!

Here’s how:

1. At checkout, enter your Maika‘i phone number or present your Maika‘i card.
2. Tell the cashier: “I’d like to make a $___ donation to MNSRP, code 78865.
3. Review your receipt to confirm the organization name and donation amount is correct.

You can support by making a donation at any Foodland, Sack N Save, or Foodland Farms store. Give Aloha runs during the month of September. 100% of your gift will go directly to MNSRP and Foodland will match a portion of your contribution🙌

09/11/2026

09/06/2026

It's Seabird Sunday! 🌊🐦☀️

Meet ʻEwaʻewa, the Sooty Tern

They're the most widespread and abundant tropical seabird on Earth, found across all tropical oceans with populations in the millions.

In Hawaiʻi, they breed throughout Papahānaumokuākea and on offshore islets of the main Hawaiian Islands.

Through the ages, aku fishermen have studied ʻEwaʻewa's behavior, learning to anticipate the aku's movement by watching the birds.

ʻEwaʻewa can remain on the wing for years between breeding seasons, sleeping mid-flight in bursts of just 1-2 seconds at a time.

Every bird card in E Lele! teaches a real fact like this while you play.

E Lele! is funded and heading to print — Late Pledges still active 👉

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/elelegames/e-lele-go-fly-hawaiian-seabird-card-game

📸 Photo: Eric VanderWerf

08/30/2026

It's Seabird Sunday! 🌊🐦☀️

Meet ʻAoʻu, the Christmas Shearwater

The Papahānaumokuākea Native Hawaiian Cultural Working Group named this bird to evoke its nocturnal flight call.

ʻAoʻu is a wing-propelled underwater hunter, diving over 24 meters deep for fish and squid at dusk. They're a rare sight from Hawaiʻi's shores, but often seen by boats offshore. One member of a very ancient lineage within the small Puffinus shearwaters.

Every card in E Lele! teaches a real fact like this while you play.

E Lele! is funded and heading to print — Late Pledges still active 👉

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/elelegames/e-lele-go-fly-hawaiian-seabird-card-game

📸 Photo: Eric VanderWerf

08/24/2026

08/23/2026

It's Seabird Sunday! 🌊🐦☀️

Meet Hinaokū/Manuohina, the Blue-grey Noddy

The Papahānaumokuākea Native Hawaiian Cultural Working Group gave this species two names, hinaokū and manuohina, as both reflect the birds’ relationships to its environment, its identity, its physical features, and its habits. Since the bird is a close relative of the manu o kū, the names also reflect a “hina” balance to kū, a reference to duality common amongst Hawaiian perspectives.

Hinaokū means “Hina of Kū” and refers to the ‘āhinahina color (gray) whereas the kū portion of the name maintains the idea that this particular bird continues to forage in a “kū” form (similar to manu o kū), by surface-dipping and hover-dipping. Manuohina translates to the bird of Hina.

In Hawaiʻi, they nest year-round in aggregations among cavities and crevices in lava flows. They capture the smallest prey of any Hawaiian seabird — mainly larval fish, along with squid, crustaceans, and insects — often alongside other species.

Every card in E Lele! teaches a real fact like this while you play.

E Lele! is funded and heading to print — Late Pledges are still active

👉 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/elelegames/e-lele-go-fly-hawaiian-seabird-card-game

📸 Photo: Eric VanderWerf

08/21/2026

WE DID IT! 🎉 🌊🐦

In 30 days, 142 backers pledged over $10,000 to fund the first edition printing of E Lele!

Mahalo nui to every single person who backed, shared and helped spread the word. This game will soon be a reality because of you.

Missed the campaign? You can still back E Lele! through Late Pledges — same rewards still supporting Hawaiian seabird conservation.

👉 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/elelegames/e-lele-go-fly-hawaiian-seabird-card-game

08/19/2026

We are looking for volunteers for our Fallout Recovery Team. This volunteer role requires you to make a weekly commitment to check our aid stations during shearwater fallout season: September 15th – December 15th. You would need to check for birds at your assigned aid stations and then drive them to our facility in Wailua.

There are two main route options. You can either check all stations from Hanalei to SOS, OR from Kekaha/Waimea (day of week depending) to SOS. So, if you don’t mind driving and want to help out our native birds this would be the perfect volunteer role for you!

We have openings for the West route on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays! North route has an opening on Thursdays.

These volunteers would save HOURS of staff time driving and allow us to focus on the patients we currently have in care. If you’re interested check out the requirements below and see if you’d be a good fit! 🚗🦆🦉

‼️Position Requirements‼️
- Minimum commitment of one scheduled day of the week to check all aid stations along your assigned route (estimating a 3-4 hour weekly commitment)
- Able to start checking aid stations along route by 9:30am (this enables all sick/injured bird to get to SOS in a timely manner for assessment and treatment as most are dropped off overnight)
- Attendance of a 1-2 hour training on bird handling, data collection, and more!

SOS work vehicles can be used by volunteers, however, if opting to use a personal vehicle, it must be large enough to transport 10 bird boxes comfortably (SUV or covered truck bed). Birds cannot be transported safely in open truck beds due to stress and overheating concerns.

Still interested?! Contact our Senior Program Manager at [email protected]. Let’s save some birds together this fallout season!