Donate cans and bottles for North Shore youths

Do you have bags of bottles and cans sitting in your garage? If you do, why not donate them to a good cause. The Hanalei Community Center accepts HI-5 recyclables to benefit their youth programs.

One of the programs is the Halele‘a Cultural Exploration summer program for North Shore keiki. Children in the program learn about Hawaiian values, music, hula, chant, stories, and arts and crafts.

They learn and write about a daily Hawaiian value and weekly ‘Olelo No‘eau (wise saying). They also enjoy lessons from University of Hawai‘i graduate students on a variety of health topics, such as hand-washing, water and sun safety and nutrition.

Although most other Kaua‘i towns enjoy county-owned neighborhood centers, Hanalei does not. During the aftermath of Hurricane ‘Iniki in 1992, the community realized they needed a place to gather to support each other.

With a grant from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, land donated by the Wilcox family, and the help of countless volunteers and supporters, Hale Halawai ‘Ohana ‘O Hanalei — translated: a house for the coming together of the family of Hanalei — constructed the community center, which was completed in 2002. The facility includes a main meeting building (that also houses a certified kitchen, health brochure library and computer lab), a youth recreation center known as “Uncle Jack’s Place,” a halau, and a pottery kiln.

Even something small as your cans and bottles will benefit the many programs offered. The Hanalei Community Center is located next to Wai‘oli Park (the soccer field) in Hanalei. The community center gratefully accepts donations of HI-5 containers daily until dark.

To help the facility keep costs down, follow posted signs about where to leave HI-5 donations and do not leave any other materials like trash or other recyclables, which the center does not accept. Trash and other recyclable materials can be left at the Princeville transfer station.