LIHUE — Tyler Carach, known affectionately as “Donut Boy”, said he never had a program booket with his picture on it.
“This is the first time I’ve seen a program with my picture on it,” the young boy said, exchanging his Maui Police cap for a DARE headwear, and donning a cape made for him by a retired police officer.
His comments were overshadowed by the bustle of excited, hungry officers and government officials who gathered at Ka Hale O Maka‘i KPD headquarters to thank the Florida boy for his gift of 20 dozen donuts.
He was also showered with gifts of aloha in return, Kauai Police Chief Todd Raybuck bestowing a specially-made replica of the KPD cruiser, a kukui nut lei, and a specially-made KPD recruit shirt that came with an invitation to check out the possibility when he comes of age.
“He would be a member of the 100th, or the 101st Recruit Class,” Raybuck said.
Carach was also bestowed with certificates of thank you from both Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami and the Kauai County Council represented by Councilman Kipukai Kuali‘i.
Carach confided that when he grows up, he hopes to become a police officer.
Kawakami said Carach already demonstrates a key attribute of being a KPD officer — aloha.
“You are an inspiration to me,” Kawakami said. “Your gesture of kindness, your aloha. Young people like yourself always inspire me because you don’t judge people.”
Kauai Police Department is the last stop on a tour that started three years ago when Carach was in the sixth grade.
In August, he spotted four deputies while shopping with his mother.
He asked his mother if he could buy donuts for the deputies because they like donuts.
He was surprised at the reaction when he gave the deputies the donuts.
“It wasn’t the donuts,” his mother Sheena explained. “They like donuts, but this was the first time anyone had said ‘Thank you’ to them for their service.”
She further went on to explain that unfortunately, many people are unkind to police officers, and some even try to cause them harm.
That started a crusade that covered 50 states, spanning three years and ending Thursday with the stop on Kauai, and more than 90,000 donuts passed out to police officers throughout the country.
Earlier in the week, Carach had visited Oahu, the Big Island, and Maui with gifts of donuts made possible through the efforts of the Safeway Stores.
Sheena said the Hawaii leg is made possible through the Trump International Hotel Waikiki that comped the week’s stay and Hawaiian Airlines, which took care of the flights to the Neighbor Islands.
