Record in generosity

LIHUE — When Yoshiko “Dimples” Kano checked her mail Thursday, she was delighted at what was there.

More money.

Not for her. For The Garden Island/Zonta Christmas Fund.

“I’m adding a couple hundred dollars more,” she said. “I picked up two more checks.”

The program that raises money to provide gift certificates for Kauai’s less fortunate residents during Christmas brought in just over $32,000, nearly double last year’s $17,000.

“Fantastic,” she said of reaction to the record amount of giving to the annual fundraiser.

Kano, committee chair of the fund and its strongest advocate since 2000, wasn’t sure why donations were so high. She said it could be that more people were hearing and learning about the fund, as she fielded several calls and explained how the program worked. While there have been detractors in years past, not so during these holidays. No negatives. She also said it might be that there was a strong spirit of giving on Kauai, and that those with money wanted to help those without.

No matter. What she does know is that through the fund, 271 adults and 269 children had a brighter Christmas.

“It was people just sharing and wanting to help,” she said.

Starting the day after Thanksgiving and continuing through Christmas Eve, The Garden Island shared stories of those facing challenges and who could use help. Donations to the Christmas fund are distributed by Zonta Club members, who purchased gift certificates at appropriate businesses to make wishes come true.

The program is operated by volunteers. Each donated dollar is accounted for and carefully recorded.

Contributions came from about 200 visitors and locals alike. From businesses and community groups. From keiki to kupuna. People were generous, said Kano. While in 2014 most checks were in the $20 range, this time many checks, were for $50 and $100 and several for more than $1,000. The largest check was for $5,000, while two were for $3,000.

Perhaps even more touching to Kano were the thank you cards and notes that came her way. Donors expressed their appreciation for the Zonta Club and the efforts of its members, while recipients shared heart-felt messages of gratitude.

One man applying for assistance said he hoped to be able to buy a pair of pants, a belt and shoes. Kano later received a thank you, scribbled on a scrap piece of paper, that said he did indeed receive those pants, belt and shoes, but got something even better, as well.

“I got a job!” he wrote.

Another family of five said they expected nothing on Christmas day. But thanks to the TGI/Zonta fund, it received a gift certificate that that provided presents for each family member.

“Bless you all,” said the note to Kano and Zonta.

Those few words seemed to sum up the program.

“There was so much of that,” she said.

The Christmas fund drive began in the 1980s. Kano said it usually raises about $11,000 to $14,000. One year, in the early 2000s, community contributions climbed to $23,000.

Two years ago, the fund received a boost from an anonymous benefactor through the Hawaii Community Foundation, who offered a two-to-one match for every donation to the fund up to $10,000.

This year was among the best. When donations topped $30,000, Kano said, “wow.”

“It makes my day,” she said.

While Kano, 90, has no plans to step away from leading The Garden Island/Zonta Fund, she knows she can’t oversee it forever, either. So she’s planning to create a manual explaining, step-by-step, the process of the program and how it works, then review it with a committee. That way, she said, there will always be someone who understands it and it can be passed on for future generations.

As is her way, of course, she declined credit for the fund’s success.

“It’s thanks to the people who gave,” she said, then adding at the end of an interview, “Please thank the people who responded so well.”