A man in a hurry stopped at The Garden Island offices Thursday morning.
He didn’t have much time for conversation, but had time to drop off a $100 gift certificate he wanted to donate to The Garden Island/Zonta Club Christmas Fund. He said he wanted to contribute to the fund that brightens Christmas for hundreds, keiki to kupuna, on Kauai.
And then, he was out the door and off to work.
It’s that kind of generosity that has helped the fund top $21,000 in donations so far this year.
Continuing through Christmas Eve, The Garden Island shares daily, front-page stories about families (we don’t use their real names) facing challenges. Donations to the Christmas Fund are used by Zonta Club members to bring holiday cheer to families and individuals through social-service agencies.
Among those who could use help is Navea, a 71-year-old woman who does not use words. She smiles with her eyes and is almost always happy and in agreement of anything that comes her way. Although her family loves her, she has had to live in foster placement most of her life. She rarely has any funds for personal items. Navea tends to wear her clothing until it’s worn, and could use new shorts and tops. She would be grateful for a new dress too.
If you hold a fundraiser for the Christmas Fund, let us know and we’ll spread the word. Anyone making a donation of $50 or more can have their picture presenting the gift published in TGI.
A donor encouraged the community to donate by pledging to match any donations over $150 up to $5,000, and the community rose to that challenge and met that goal. Donations may be made to: The Zonta Club of Kauai Foundation, P.O. Box, 3032, Lihue, 96766, or by way of their website: zonta-kauai.org.
