At times, Kilauea residents Wendell and Cindy Sandobal look beyond the world of football as they try to help raise $25,000 in two months to cover travel expenses for the North Shore Ali‘i “Midgets” Pop Warner team, bound for Las
At times, Kilauea residents Wendell and Cindy Sandobal look beyond the world of football as they try to help raise $25,000 in two months to cover travel expenses for the North Shore Ali‘i “Midgets” Pop Warner team, bound for Las Vegas next month.
The couple also view the fundraiser, which started Oct. 1 and is scheduled to end by Nov. 30, as a way to help 23 North Shore youths who make up the team stay away from drugs.
“We try to focus on the fundraisers to help keep their interest in sports,” Cindy Sandobal said in an interview. “We want to keep them off the streets and away from drugs. We have such a bad drug problem on the North Shore.”
The fundraiser event seemingly has helped bring together the North Shore community, as numerous businesses have offered expensive prizes.
The fundraiser is being spearheaded by the North Shore Pop Warner Parent Booster Club, which represents parents of the players, said North Shore Ali‘i coach Wendell Sandobal.
Players must be 12 to 14 years of age and weigh no more than 130 pounds to compete in the Kaua‘i Pop Warner Association league, the Sandobals said. Cindy Sandobal said the funds also will be used to cover the travel costs for coaches and 14 parents so far.
The team is scheduled to participate in the half-time activities of the Pineapple Bowl, which is scheduled to be held in Las Vegas in mid-December.
Through ticket sales and car washes, the players and their parents raised $15,000 from Oct. 1 to Nov. 5.
Through three car washes, scheduled for Nov. 14, 21, 30, all Sundays, in the parking lot at Ching Young Village in Hanalei town, and the sale of tasty donuts Nov. 23, all involved hope to raise another $10,000, Sandobal said.
In raising the initial $15,000, each player was given twenty $5 tickets to sell, and “we sold 2,000 tickets,” Sandobal said.
The success the youths have had is partly tied to parents who have gone out of their way to support their children, Sandobal believes.
“We have good parent support in Kilauea and have good parents,” she said.
Lori Cumerly of Ha‘ena walked away with a grand prize during a Nov. 5 drawing held at the Kauai Christian Academy in Kilauea, Wendell Sandobal said.
She won a longboard Kaua‘i North Shore surfboard maker Bobby Allen, who shapes under the “BASA” label, made and donated, he said.
Various gifts were offered by various Kaua‘i businesses:
- Trading Places provided a one-week timeshare trip to Las Vegas;
- Two Frogs Hugging furniture store provided a $300 gift certificate;
- Holo Holo Charters Niihau provided a cruise for two valued at $360;
- Napali Catamaran Napali Cruise provided a trip for two valued at $280;
- North Shore Charters Napali Cruise provided a trip for two valued at $300;
- Heli USA Island Tour offered a ride for two valued at $360;
Princeville Spa offered one week’s membership valued at $100;
- Hawaiian Surfing Adventures Surfing offered lessons for two valued $110;
- Neides Salsa and Samba offered a dinner for two that is valued at $60;
- Jennifer Jackson offered a one-hour massage valued at $100;
- The Coconut Lady offered a chair massage valued at $30;
- Herbies Photography offered a photo session;
- Mary Jane offered a Pilates lesson valued at $65;
- Tomilyn Clark offered fused glass artwork valued at $100;
- Hanalei Gourmet offered two gift certificates valued at $25 each.
- Ching Young Village offered 20 T-shirts;
- Haircuts – Ken Kaona offered ten haircuts;
- Princeville Clubhouse offered a golf lesson;
- Hanalei Surf Company offered a $30 gift certificate; other prizes were offered as well.
Mike Ching, a Kaua‘i police commissioner and a co-owner of the Ching Young Village Shopping Center in Hanalei Town, also donated the use of the center’s parking lot for car washes held in October and the three upcoming car washes.
Sandobal also praised Geoff Culverhouse, one of the co-owners of the shopping center, for providing drinks for all the car washes held thus far.
As part of the fundraising effort, Cindy Sandobal said Krispy Kreme donuts will be sold from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 23 at the Kauai Christian Academy.
Sandobal said possibly raising $25,000 in only two months seems unprecedented.
“We had a professional fundraiser stop by one of the car washes and she said what we were doing was great,” she said. “We are doing this for our kids.”
The fundraiser effort has helped give guidance and purpose to the football players and adults who are helping out, she said.
Since Oct. 1, the young players have practiced two hours a day, five days a week, and Luther Yam, the head coach, drives from Wailua to the North Shore daily to coach his charges even though he has no children on the team, Sandobal said.
For more information on the fundraisers, please call Cindy Sandobal at 828-2143.
Lester Chang, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and lchang@pulitzer.net
