HANAMA‘ULU — Debi Yanagihara of the Kaua‘i Beach Resort was trying to coordinate delivery of the collection of food and toys by resort employees and, yes, even the guests.
HANAMA‘ULU — Debi Yanagihara of the Kaua‘i Beach Resort was trying to coordinate delivery of the collection of food and toys by resort employees and, yes, even the guests.
“We just had our Christmas party, and everyone brought so much,” Yanagihara said. “They wanted to do this, collect food to help the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank and Toys For Tots.”
The employee Christmas party, coordinated by the KBR Holiday Committee, was the first one since coming out of the pandemic.
“Everyone wants that big toy,” one employee said. “No, it’s not for us. It was donated by one of our guests.”
Kelvin Moniz of the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank had just experienced the Holiday Bash, hosted by The Shops at Kukui‘ula, last week to benefit the KIFB Holiday Food and Fund drive.
“Visitors were so generous,” Moniz said.
“They find out it’s going to help those who are still suffering from the pandemic, and they’re very giving.”
A similar situation took place at the Hilton Garden Inn Kaua‘i Wailua Bay, where Moniz was in attendance at the East Kaua‘i Lions Club Christmas party, where the club awarded a grant to Toys For Tots amid the overflowing toy collection box the Wailua resort had set up next to the registration desk.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
