LIHUE — Miss Kauai Filipina 2024 Aleah Yano was laden with food when she appeared at the Lihue Neighborhood Center on Sunday.
LIHUE — Miss Kauai Filipina 2024 Aleah Yano was laden with food when she appeared at the Lihue Neighborhood Center on Sunday.
Sponsored by the Kauai Filipino Community Council, whose president is Nancy Apalla, Yano donated food to the group’s annual food drive, which benefits the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai.
“We’re still recruiting candidates for the 2025 Miss Kauai Filipina scholarship pageant,” one of the KFCC members said. “The Bailes de Jose dance group is next door practicing for this year’s pageant that will take place in June at the Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall.”
Apalla said this year, Kauai will have its turn hosting the Miss Hawaii Filipina pageant in August.
Yano earned her crown after the reigning 2024 Miss Kauai Filipina Jaslen Valdez was crowned the 2024 Miss Hawaii Filipina during the pageantry on the Big Island. Valdez returned to Kauai in September to crown Yano as the new Miss Kauai Filipina during the Kauai Filipino Women’s Club Terno Ball at the Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort.
The Bailes de Jose bolstered the food collection by interrupting its practice when the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai representatives showed up to pick it up.
The Hawaii Foodbank Kauai reported that the collection amounts to more than 400 pounds of food, providing more than 300 meals to “our neighbors in need.”
During the 2024 Miss Kauai Filipina campaign, the Kauai Filipino Community Council contributed nearly $7,000 in scholarships to the Royal Court. In addition to scholarships provided to Miss Kauai Filipina and her court, the KFCC also provided scholarships to six deserving graduating seniors of Filipino descent from Waimea, Kauai, and Kapaa high schools.
