LIHU‘E — Students bearing banners and a lot of enthusiasm along Kuhio Highway signalled the special event taking place inside the McDonald’s restaurant in Lihu‘e, Thursday night. “This is only our second Kaua‘i High School Project Grad fundraiser,” said Darnell
LIHU‘E — Students bearing banners and a lot of enthusiasm along Kuhio Highway signalled the special event taking place inside the McDonald’s restaurant in Lihu‘e, Thursday night.
“This is only our second Kaua‘i High School Project Grad fundraiser,” said Darnell Aquino, the Kaua‘i Project Grad chair, a position she’s held for 10 years. “We have two more McNights scheduled, one for January and one in March. This is in addition to the several other small fundraisers we’ll be having.”
Aquino said Project Grad has been celebrated for the past 22 years at Kaua‘i High School, the event being held on graduation night and offering students a safe, drug-free, alcohol-free and tobacco-free environment where they can celebrate their graduation.
“I was a volunteer during last year’s event where the students had a lot of fun in a safe environment,” said Tom Vallatini of the Kaua‘i Government Employees Federal Credit Union while volunteering with the holiday turkey distribution, Thursday at the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank. “You would think the students just have a lot of fun doing things students do, but they had a time, just before closing where the students received heart-to-heart letters from their parents. This was very touching.”
Darnell said last year’s event cost $33,000 to host, and this year’s early start on fundraising is because the committee needs to have the down payment for the hotel where the event is held. Based on last year’s expenses, she said the goal of this year’s Project Grad is $35,000.
“If we don’t need all of the money, it serves as seed money for next year’s Project Grad,” she said. “I’ll be retiring after 10 years after the 2013 Project Grad, but we can still help the new chairperson.”
She noted that contributions from everyone is welcome.
There are other high schools, namely Waimea and Kapa‘a, which also host Project Grad programs, but anyone wanting to help Kaua‘i High School is more than welcomed.
“We’ve had Project Grad for 22 years,” Aquino said. “In that time, there have been many students who have experienced it, and now, they have an opportunity to give back. We encourage students who enjoyed themselves in past events to think about those students who have yet to go through the experience.”
She said she’s approached several alumni about giving back.
“If they’re in the service industry like hair or makeup and they do a good job at Project Grad, it only adds to their customer base,” Aquino said, noting that contributions can also be accepted for in-kind services. “If they’re good, the students are going to want to go back.”
A supervisor with the McDonald’s restaurant said the McNight program is a good way for community organizations to raise money for its fundraising needs and welcomes inquiries about arranging a McNight event.
For more information about contributing to the Kaua‘i High Project Grad, call Aquino at 651-9549. People wanting to contribute can make checks payable to “Kaua‘i High School Project Grad” 3577 Lala Road, Lihu‘e, Hawai‘i 96766.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
