Holidays A Time Of Kindness

Santa Claus is making an appearance in Kilauea this week for the Christmas Tree Lighting Feast presented by the Kilauea Neighborhood Association. Don’t miss the right jolly old elf Saturday (Dec. 7) from 4 to 8 p.m. at Kilauea Dispensary Park, which will be filled with holiday merriment. There will be entertainment by the Kapaa Middle School Ukulele Band and Choir, Halau Ka Lei Kukui Hiilani, Sam Mahuki and The Fool Around Band and the Kilauea Social Club. Activities for keiki also will abound, including a giveaway of six children’s bicycles. In addition, a free meal will be provided at 6 p.m. Call Sal Ochoa at 635-1689 for more information or if you would like to help …

It gives me warm fuzzies when I hear about all the kindhearted things people do for their communities, especially during the holidays. Kauai United Way is lending a helping hand by teaming with Poipu Kai Charity Tennis to raise funds for the 30 agencies connected to the nonprofit, such as like Friendship Club and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hawaii. A winter classic of men’s and women’s doubles will be held this weekend (Dec. 7 and 8). Visit kauaiunitedway.org for more information …

Hardly any time passes before I hear some kind of charitable news again from Ric Cox of Adopt a Classroom. According to Cox, Michelle Gibson was able to give iPad minis to second-graders at Kilauea Elementary School to enhance their learning experience. In order to raise the funds necessary to purchase the $309 tablets, she posted her project on DonorsChoose.org, a website created by a New York City teacher to help students across the nation. The iPads will be shared with Scott Schwemmer‘s fifth grade class. In an effort to acquire 100 iPad minis for the remaining classes at the school, the Rotary Clubof Hanalei Bay Foundation is slated to purchase the equipment in January with a $44,000 grant. And if additional funding can be acquired, the Hanalei Bay and Kapaa clubs, in association with the Rotary’s Adopt a Classroom project, the initiative called iPals4iPads will stretch to other schools across the island.

The first time a Kauai teacher used the charity website DonorsChoose.org was in 2007. Since then, 140 projects have been funded at 11 of the island’s 19 public schools with a total value of $200,000. The largest project was a playground at Kanuikapono Public Charter School in Anahola, which cost around $112,000 …

The YMCA of Kauai, Kauai Hospice, Kauai Museum, Water Safety Task Force, KPAL and Life’s Bridges were the recent recipients of the Kauai Marathon’s One Grand Mile charity campaign. The new initiative was organized by race founder Jeff Sacchini and wife Liz. The duo matched every $1,000 donation for each of the 13 mile markers purchased by businesses along the Kauai Half Marathon, raising a total of $26,000 …

And since I can’t help but spread more good news this week, Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawaii joined forces with Toyota Hawaii to honor Kauai, Maui and Hawaii Island police officers for their exceptional efforts and commitment to ending drunk driving, supporting victims of the crime and preventing underage drinking. The Law Enforcement Awards were held last month and Individual and Community Service Awards were presented to Kauai’s Shawn Hanna, Rolland Peahu, Marnie Fernandez, Hanson Hsu, Kira Seabury, Kimberly Nizo and Delissa Nobriga … cocomidweek@gmail.com