HANAPEPE — The Westside community showed its appreciation to the active duty and reserve military members who provided free medical treatment during Tropic Care Kaua‘i the best way they knew how — by throwing a mahalo potluck. Tropic Care Kaua‘i
HANAPEPE — The Westside community showed its appreciation to the active duty and reserve military members who provided free medical treatment during Tropic Care Kaua‘i the best way they knew how — by throwing a mahalo potluck.
Tropic Care Kaua‘i provided free health services to an estimated 7,000 people on the island between Feb. 20 and March 10.
About 100 military members and an additional 100 community members attended the potluck, which was held Thursday at the Hanapepe Armory, community member and organizer Diane Landretti said.
“My brother (Steven Kurokawa) decided we should do something for them,” Landretti said. “We had such a wonderful turnout.”
The potluck was advertised through flyers, word of mouth and at senior citizens meetings. People who were unable to attend the celebration still stopped by to drop off dishes and to donate money, Landretti said.
“Mahalo to the Westside community for your support and donations in making our appreciation potluck a huge success,” organizers of the potluck said in a statement. “This event was to express our aloha for the excellent medical services provided by the Air Force and Navy reservists. They, too, were most impressed by your warm and generous spirit. Again, a big mahalo for showing how special you are.”
In addition, community members wrote thank you notes to the military members.
“Mahalo plenty,” wrote a Lihu‘e resident.
“Many lives have been bettered because of you all,” wrote a woman.
“Thank you for taking care of the island of Kaua‘i,” another person wrote.
Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. attended the potluck, Landretti said.
“I was just overwhelmed by their kind and courteous behavior,” Landretti said.
Community members Gerald Hirata and Evelyn Masaki also helped organize the potluck, she said.
