NUKOLI‘I — Kawaikini Gampon wanted to make a difference. The 8-year-old student at King Kaumuali‘i School at first offered to give up his allowance, according to his mother, Raydene. “But I told him he didn’t have to do that. He
NUKOLI‘I — Kawaikini Gampon wanted to make a difference. The 8-year-old student at King Kaumuali‘i School at first offered to give up his allowance, according to his mother, Raydene.
“But I told him he didn’t have to do that. He could make a difference by volunteering,” she said.
That led him to the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen, where his eyes were opened.
“He saw students who were in school with him,” Gampon said. “And that made him want to do more.”
Kawaikini followed up his volunteering at the soup kitchen with a visit to the Kaua‘i Food Bank, where he got to see how contributions are processed to help feed hungry people with the help of community agencies such as the Salvation Army’s Kokua Soup Kitchen.
“He saw the whole thing full-circle,” Gampon said.
But he was worried that the little he could do wouldn’t help, Gampon said. So he asked the soup kitchen manager whether $5 would help.
The reply: $2.50 would be an honor.
Kawaikini, who also plays soccer for an American Youth Soccer Association boys team, the Green Jedi, started to discuss ways to raise money.
His uncle, Mark Sassone, the executive chef for the Hilton Kaua‘i Beach Resort and also Kawaikini’s soccer coach, suggested making brownies because they are a popular seller.
One thing led to another, and currently, Kawaikini is taking orders for a limited supply of brownies and seasoned salts for pick-up on Sept. 16 at the Big Kmart from 9 a.m. to noon.
“We wanted to have a central location,” Gampon said. “And when Mark suggested brownies, I had no idea how we were going to bake them because we don’t have a sheet pan.”
Sassone and the 30-40 members of the kitchen staff at the Hilton stepped forward to help the 8-year-old boy.
“He’s going to make the goods, and we’re going to package them,” Gampon said.
Tickets for the brownies and seasoned salts can be ordered by visiting the Gampon Web site at www.gampon.com, and clicking on the “I Can Make a Difference Fundraiser” link, or by calling Chris Gampon, Kawaikini’s dad, at 645-1856.
A half-dozen “Yummy” brownies is available for $6, and a 6-ounce bottle of seasoned salts is $4.
“He’s been really good about answering all the e-mails,” Chris said. “He can’t even type, but he has answered all the requests.”
Kawaikini said the biggest order came to $74, and Gampon said people have been ordering the seasoned salts to give as Christmas gifts.
“We have heard people say the salts are going to Germany, and there’s one bottle that will travel as far as Spain,” Gampon said. “It’s so nice to know that even people in far-away countries can do something to help Kaua‘i’s people.”
Gampon added that Isabel, their daughter, also contributed to helping sell tickets, noting that Isabel had sold a bunch to her teachers.
Beyond the fund-raiser, Gampon said Kawaikini’s concern for the hungry people has touched other people as a team mother of a Kaua‘i High School cheerleader was impressed with his concern, and is trying to arrange for the cheer squad to volunteer and help at the soup kitchen.
“I want to help kids right here on Kaua‘i,” Kawaikini said. “I hope you will be able to help me.”
