Constant banter, the kind that comes from youthful energy, filled the afternoon as three boys trucked into the brush Thursday afternoon. Their target was the graffiti that covered the side of a building facing Haleko Road. Armed with paint and
Constant banter, the kind that comes from youthful energy, filled the afternoon as three boys trucked into the brush Thursday afternoon.
Their target was the graffiti that covered the side of a building facing Haleko Road.
Armed with paint and rollers, the trio of Ryan Labuguen, Tyrus Moises and Austin Delos Reyes trucked into the bush ready to undo the graffiti that defaced the building’s facade.
The trio was accompanied by Gordan Muramaru, their sports class teacher from Kapa‘a Middle School. Muramaru said the students have been attacking graffiti since the last day of school.
And after discovering the vandalism in Lihu‘e, they expanded their circle to clean up the view for motorists on Haleko Road.
“We did the warehouse up by Menehune Mart,” Moises said. “That was a pretty big one, but we cleaned it up fast.”
Muramaru said the three boys, all part of the Kapa‘a High School junior varsity football team, started doing this type of work during the winter break when they joined him and several other volunteers to create benches for the Kapa‘a Middle School physical education class.
“They came to help out, and they were real good,” Muramaru said. “There were several other boys in that group — Leland Lam Yuen and Austin’s brother, Anthony. But, I couldn’t fit them all in my car today.”
Muramaru said that with the extra paint following the project, the students, working with Muramaru went out into the community to clean up graffiti.
“We’ve been to the (Wailua) Homesteads, parts of Kapa‘a town, including the roundabout, and up at the warehouse by Menehune Mart in Kapahi,” Muramaru said. “Just look for the gray squares.”
Working together as a team, the three boys seemed to read each other’s minds as the banter, totally unrelated to the task at hand, continued.
“They no care about the future is why,” one of them said about the reason for the graffiti.
Following the building, Muramaru said they planned to cover up the graffiti at the Rice Street intersection, as it’s visible from the mayor’s office.
The latest addition to the graffiti on-island has appeared near Wailua Beach. Muramaru said one of the boys brought that to his attention as they were driving to take care of the Lihu‘e project.
Following the work at Haleko Road, Muramaru said the group had plans to stop at Jamba Juice before heading to Wailua.
“I try to get them snacks after we finish,” he said. “After one outing in Kapa‘a, I told them we would go to Burger King, and they told me ‘How about L&L?’ I can afford Burger King and they want L&L.”
As for the motivation of the crew to spend their summers restoring what others take away, Muramaru said it’s all about the kids.
“This is one way they give back to the community” he noted.
But fall isn’t far off, and the three boys are looking ahead to Aug. 24 when Kapa‘a High School hosts a pre-season football game against a team from Japan.
“We’ll be there,” they agreed. “Hopefully, we might get to play.”
