At the Back to School Bash Saturday at Kukui Grove Center in Lihu‘e, people picked up more than 2,000 backbacks of supplies.
At the Back to School Bash Saturday at Kukui Grove Center in Lihu‘e, people picked up more than 2,000 backbacks of supplies.
Kudos to the MANY hands that go into planning and executing the island’s “biggest school supplies giveaway.”
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration intern Abigail Seibel said there was a surge of more than 200 kids looking for temporary tattoos at the Kaua‘i Ocean Discovery at KGC.
Mahalo, Miss Hawai‘i Lauren Teruya, for coming to help Kaua‘i’s beauty queens, Hi‘ilei Berg (she really enjoyed the Touch A Truck experience), Colbie Cortez and Megan Souza.
Mary Lardizabal is already envisioning the strengthening of the Kapa‘a Middle School choir and ‘ukulele band for off-island competition, and kudos, Felisa Fuentes and the Hawai‘i Foodservice Alliance (boy, that was a lot of bodies!), for not only helping with bodies, but what a great snack pack!
Bill Arakaki has been doing this for all eight years the backpacks have been distributed, and Kaua‘i County Council Vice Chair Mason Chock was out this year with the Pali Climbing Wall, and fellow Concilmember Felicia Cowden was actually passing out backpacks (thank heaven for pre-registration, or she would’ve been innundated).
Mayor Derek Kawakami made sure to welcome those keiki and families (what time did U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele get there, Mahealani Contrades?) before participating (he was checking out his fielder’s glove while eyeing the fried Spam musubi on the menu board) in the opening ceremonies for the Hawai‘i Little League State Majors Tournament at the Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex in Kapa‘a.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
