PUHI — The weather may have been a reason for postponing the Poker Run, but it was also the reason for selecting the first veteran homeowner, Saturday, at the Kaua‘i Harley-Davidson shop in Puhi. Originally scheduled for a 10 a.m.
PUHI — The weather may have been a reason for postponing the Poker Run, but it was also the reason for selecting the first veteran homeowner, Saturday, at the Kaua‘i Harley-Davidson shop in Puhi.
Originally scheduled for a 10 a.m. ride, J.C. Crouch, the store manager, said the Poker Run will probably be moved to the first weekend in December due to the inclement weather and Thanksgiving.
Anne Dimock, development director for Kaua‘i Habitat for Humanity, said J.Q. Smith, recently honored as one of the grand marshals in the Veterans Day parade and a keynote speaker at the Veterans Day service, is the first veteran homeowner to benefit the Kaua‘i Habitat for Humanity’s Repair and Renovation Work for a low-income veteran homeowner.
“His roof leaks and there is some ceiling damage from the leaking,” Dimock said. “We’re going to assemble a crew and start work on his home in early December.”
The charity Poker Run, coordinated by Kaua‘i Habitat for Humanity and Kaua‘i Harley-Davidson, is meant to raise proceeds to match funds provided by Lowe’s Building Centers and The Home Depot Foundation for the establishment of the Repair and Renovation program.
“Initially, we’ll be working with veterans who need help with repairing and renovating their homes,” Dimock said. “But the program is open to all people who qualify.”
Smith, a retired U.S. Marine, is a veteran of three wars — World War II, the Korean War and the Viet Nam War — being wounded twice, the first time in World War II and the second in the Viet Nam War.
He continues to volunteer with the Kaua‘i Veterans Center and during the construction of the commercial kitchen at both the Salvation Army’s Lihu‘e and Hanapepe Corps, was one of the spearheads of that project, seeing it to completion and helping to launch the Salvation Army Kokua Soup Kitchen program as its kitchen manager.
Kaua‘i Habitat for Humanity will be performing repair and renovation work on deteriorating housing using its familiar self-help model, Dimock said.
Proceeds from the Poker Run will be used to buy building materials needed for one restoration project.
“We are extremely proud and excited to partner with Kaua‘i Habitat for Humanity on this event,” Crouch said. “It will be a great opportunity to launch this statewide program from Lowe’s Building Centers and The Home Depot Foundation while helping a Kaua‘i veteran.”
Visit www.kauaih-d.com or www.kauaihabitat.org for more information.
