PO‘IPU — Golf was the main drive of the 8th annual Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital golf fundraiser Sunday, but there were many other ways for people to have fun while helping the West Kaua‘i Medical Center Charitable Foundation at Po‘ipu
PO‘IPU — Golf was the main drive of the 8th annual Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital golf fundraiser Sunday, but there were many other ways for people to have fun while helping the West Kaua‘i Medical Center Charitable Foundation at Po‘ipu Bay Golf Course.
“This is great,” said Steve Kline, the golf tournament director as well as the vice president of the WKMCCF. “We have 80 golfers registered. That’s more than any of the previous tournaments.”
Golfers came with decorated pumpkins (no spray painting allowed) and walked off with a free mulligan.
One unique pumpkin resembled an oversized golf ball marked with “KVMH 12” while another’s facial features were created using various sea shells.
The shell-studded creation may have been an escapee from the pumpkin sporting a dive mask, snorkel and fins.
“This must be something special,” said Mika Doctolero, one of the KVMH volunteers checking in golfers. “Look at this! It’s all new equipment.”
Emilie Balik of Po‘ipu, a Kaua‘i Raceway Park driver of a Nissan 350 convertible, was joined by Brenda Banard of Kalaheo in carrying in a golf bag overflowing with decorated golf clubs.
Marlene Hawthorne and Vivian Nickerson went one better, toting black roses as “Sleeping Princesses.”
Melissa Gregory of the Kaua‘i Coffee Co. had an ample supply of wake-me-up juice, noting the company was also going to be available at the KVMH craft fair Saturday in Waimea.
“Kaua‘i Coffee provided a hundred filter packs and fresh coffee for this tournament so they could raise funds,” Gregory said. “I won’t be able to be at the hospital for the craft fair, but we’re providing them with the coffee and they’ll be brewing it at the craft fair.”
Cheryl Tennberg, treasurer of the WKMCCF and another of the volunteers registering golfers, is the chair of the craft fair scheduled to run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the grounds of KVM Hospital.
“We’re trying something different,” Tennberg said. “Instead of having the crafters lining the hospital hallways, we’re setting up a tent in the lawn where the bon dance was held. This should provide shoppers and vendors more space to move around.”
Other sponsors for the KVMH fundraising golf tournament include Shioi Construction, The Parker Group, Lifeway Pharmacy, Kukui Grove Shopping Center, Hawai‘i Pacific X-Ray Corp., Pioneer Hi-Bred International and more.
The West Kaua‘i Medical Center serves as the regional headquarters of the Kaua‘i Region of Hawai‘i Health Systems Corp. which feature the KVMH and its sister facility, the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital in Kapa‘a, states the HHSC website.
KVMH is a full service Critical Access Hospital named in honor of Kaua‘i veterans. Saturday’s craft fair is one of the few times the event does not conflict with the annual Veterans Day parade scheduled for Nov. 10 in Kapa‘a.
The hospital was dedicated in 1957 and currently employs about 275 people.
The medical center also includes hospital outpatient clinic and a medical office building with additional medical services.
Another hospital outpatient clinic is located in the Port Allen Marina shopping complex and a free-standing clinic is located in Kalaheo.
Visit www.kvmh.hhsc.org for more information.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
