Home Playt comes to visit, donate sproting equipment

LIHUE — Former Kauai resident Layrd Mahler and his son Luke donated three big bags of “gently used baseball equipment and apparel” to Daisha Kuhaulua and the Kawaihau Community Little League program on Wednesday when the Mahler family came to visit Kauai.

“My father, who is a longtime coach with Kawaihau, saw the picture and already put a claim to the bat,” Kuhaulua said. She was en route to a Kawaihau baseball game after picking up several players and detoured to the Lihue Airport to meet the Arizona family.

Mahler said the contribution was done on behalf of Home Playt, a nonprofit organization established by his son Luke as part of a Junior Honor Society project.

Earlier in December, Home Playt partnered with the Kawaihau Community Little League and Sonoran Root Beer to host a fundraiser to help the Kawaihau players and families.

“We have a lot of kids who are signing up to play baseball for the first time,” Kuhaulua said. “On Kauai, we have a hard time getting equipment, especially for those players who have never played before. This contribution from Home Playt definitely helps a lot.”

Players who caught a ride from Kuhaulua lost little time in claiming baseball mitts and a bat. They were excited to try out their new acquisitions at the game.

Mahler said Luke’s project, the Home Playt organization, is not just a service project; it gives people a little bit more than just equipment and apparel.