Kekaha Food Relief 2021 helps feed more than 750 families

KEKAHA — State Senate President Ron Kouchi, Rep. Dee Morikawa, Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami, and other E Ola Mau leaders agreed that the Kekaha Food Relief 2021 was a “true community effort,” Saturday while thanking the hundreds of volunteers that poured onto the Kekaha Neighborhood Center park.

Andrey Sabas was visiting from Ewa Beach, O‘ahu and was one of the volunteers helping feed more than 750 families, including a number of residents who did not have access to a car for the drive-through distribution.

“He wants to move here, now,” said Sabas’ relative who was volunteering with Corteva Agriscience. “He was here so decided he would come and help.”

E Ola Mau, in partnership with its network of community sponsors, including the Kekaha Agriculture Association, Kaua‘i Shrimp, the County of Kaua‘i, the Grove Farm Foundation, the Hawai‘i Foodbank, Kaua‘i Branch, Pepsi, the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative, and the Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation, Kaua‘i Region, and more celebrated the July 4, 2021 festivities with Kekaha residents.

“This was money we had set aside for the annual fireworks show on July 4,” said Garret Agena of E Ola Mau. “But with the pandemic, we can’t do fireworks, and the people still need food, so we decided to use that money to feed the community.”

Eileen Naka‘ahiki of the Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation, Kaua‘i Region was among the corps of volunteers from HHSC, volunteering at the same distribution tent where Sabas was working.

“The people are getting some good food,” Naka‘ahiki said. “There’s a bag of vegetables, a bag of fruit, including premium mangoes, groceries, fresh fish, Kaua‘i Shrimp, frozen hamburger, a log of Goteborg sausage, and more.”

Wes Perreira of the Hawai‘i Foodbank, Kaua‘i Branch said people were asking, trying to confirm that Goteborg was going to be part of the distribution.

Pua Kaohelauli‘i and Blanca Gil of the Kaua‘i District Health Office were also among the volunteers, ensuring that notices for the upcoming vaccination clinic, Saturday, was also included in the food packages.

Ho‘ola Lahui Community Health Clinic, in partnership with Malama Pono Health Services, the Kaua‘i District Health Office, and the county is hosting a pop-up vaccination clinic, Saturday at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center from 8 to 10 a.m.

There will also be a pop-up clinic at Laukona Park from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

People participating at the clinics have a choice of the two-dose Moderna, or a one-dose Johnson &Johnson vaccine.

Susan Oshiro of Ho‘ola Lahui noted that the July 10 clinic coincides with the timing for the second shot of the two-shot Moderna vaccine people received during the first clinic at Kekaha. People completing their vaccines can receive free “Knock Out COVID, Protect Kaua‘i” t-shirts and caps while supplies last.

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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.