LIHU‘E — Melissa Hamai, president of the Parent-Teacher-Student Association at Hanalei Elementary School, wished in an e-mail to express gratitude for help from the county’s Furlough Friday Force in tackling an overgrown garden on campus. She called the volunteerism “a
LIHU‘E — Melissa Hamai, president of the Parent-Teacher-Student Association at Hanalei Elementary School, wished in an e-mail to express gratitude for help from the county’s Furlough Friday Force in tackling an overgrown garden on campus.
She called the volunteerism “a fabulous gift of generosity,” as volunteers from the county and their family members descended upon the overgrown garden at Hanalei Elementary School.
Working alongside a few parent volunteers, workers including Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho Jr. and his wife Regina, along with state Rep. Mina Morita, D-Kapa‘a-Hanalei, and volunteers from various county departments “completely transformed the space, as the kids and teachers excitedly tramped through to offer thanks,” said Hamai.
The “F3” team, or Furlough Friday Force, was the brainchild of the mayor’s office who see the time off as a great opportunity to give support to the community, she said.
They are set to help out with various projects around the island. As an island visitor commented, “only in Kaua‘i.”
In addition to the Carvalhos and Morita, others who turned out included Kaui and Wayne Tanaka, Mercedes Youn, Kylan Dela Cruz, Beth Tokioka, Ernie and Ernest Barreira, Art and Michiro Umezu, Ian Jung, Mike Dahilig, Imai Aiu, George Costa, Wallace Rezentes Jr., Donald Fujimoto, Margaret and Richard Gill, Hamai, Holly Chew, Debbie Slater and Teresa Lambden.
