Special delivery

KAPAA — Iris Watabu, the Kapaa post office postmaster, said letter carriers do more than just deliver the mail.

For 22 years, letter carriers have collected food for people in need on the island through the National Association of Letter Carriers food drive.

This year was no exception as the letter carriers from Kauai’s 16 post offices went out on May 10 to pick up contributed food from their patrons, delivering the mail while at the same time, picking up contributed food items that were left in the mailboxes.

The collection amounted to 10,719 pounds which was delivered to the Hawaii Foodbank, Kauai Branch. This total reflected an increase of 11 percent over the 9,693 pounds collected in 2013, earning the Kauai Letter Carriers first place recognition as the top collecting district in Region 1.

The Kapaa post office led the effort with 4,185 pounds of food, or a 2 percent increase over 2013. The Eleele post office, with 63 pounds of food, represented one of the biggest increases at 800 percent followed by the Waimea post office at 87 pounds for a 135 percent increase.

Lihue post office finished with 2,968 pounds of food, the second largest amount on Kauai, representing an increase of 441 pounds, or 17 percent. This was the largest single station increase followed by the Kilauea/Princeville station which collected 1,351 pounds, or a 198 pound increase over 2013, or 17 percent.

“We want to share this award with all of the people who support us, and contributed toward the 22nd National Association of Letter Carriers food drive back in May,” said Carlynn Ledward, president of the Kauai letter carriers union on being recognized with a top NALC Food Drive recognition plaque.

Wanda Waiamau of the Lihue post office said the reason letter carriers collect food in May is because summer is close and that is a time when a lot of children don’t have food because there is no school.