NAWILIWILI — Jefferey Jacklick of Nana’s House in Waimea said he saw people crying for joy when they distributed turkeys for Thanksgiving last week. “We distributed the turkeys early to make sure all of the needy people got one for
NAWILIWILI — Jefferey Jacklick of Nana’s House in Waimea said he saw people crying for joy when they distributed turkeys for Thanksgiving last week.
“We distributed the turkeys early to make sure all of the needy people got one for Thanksgiving,” Jacklick said Tuesday while shopping at the Kauai Independent Food Bank in Nawiliwili.
“Wednesday, we distribute the dressings. People who received the turkeys were so happy, some of them had tears in their eyes because they never expected to be able to have turkey for Thanksgiving.”
Sam Knepper of the St. Williams Church in Hanalei was shopping for the church’s pantry distribution.
“We’ll be there bright and early Friday morning,” Knepper, who had the help of his wife and daughter, said. “If you want to see something, you need to be there because more than a thousand pounds of food disappear within 20 minutes.”
In Kapaa, the Hawaiian Sustainability Foundation will be serving a big organic vegetarian meal to celebrate Thanksgiving.
“We serve mostly organic vegetarian meals, sometimes vegan, to more than 10 people for breakfast and lunch, five days a week,” said Mariana Reyes. “It depends on the crowd.”
Reyes and Kamie Prestwick had finished their shopping and set about to stock the shelves for other shoppers, noticing the seven pallets of food being unloaded by the Marriott crew, representing the Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club and the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club.
“They’re so good,” said Leona Perez, KIFB programs manager. “They volunteer with us every week.”
The result of an in-house food drive, an annual event coinciding with the holidays, yielded 7,162 pounds of food being delivered to the KIFB facility.
“This is good,” said Mark Domingcil, head of security at the Waiohai. “There is a lot of rice this year. People like rice. I remember the old days when you could get the 100-pound bags which came in cloth bags and grandma would save the bags so a lady who lived near by could make shirts for us.”
Kelvin Moniz, KIFB executive director, said the Marriott food contribution counts toward the KIFB Holiday Food and Fund drive which has a goal of 40,000 pounds of food and $40,000 and continues through Dec. 31.
“This is especially appropriate with Thanksgiving coming Thursday,” Moniz said. “People are always overwhelmed with the holidays and food is very important. This will make a lot of people a bit more thankful.”
