Dennis Fujimoto – The Garden Island LIHU‘E — Kaiola Canoe Club members opted to switch their paddles for brooms, scrapers and brushes, Saturday. “This is the first time I’ve seen the people who receive come out to help,” said Judy
Dennis Fujimoto – The Garden Island
LIHU‘E — Kaiola Canoe Club members opted to switch their paddles for brooms, scrapers and brushes, Saturday.
“This is the first time I’ve seen the people who receive come out to help,” said Judy Lenthall, who came out to help the Rotary Club of Kaua‘i, Saturday.
The Rotary Club of Kaua‘i performed a service project through the Weinberg Friends program, spending the greater part of the morning powerwashing, painting and cleaning the exterior of the Salvation Army Thrift Store on Rice Street.
Envoy Larry Groenleer of the Salvation Army, Lihu‘e Corps also joined the Rotarians and Kaiola paddlers in the facelift.
“In addition to the cleaning, they’re also doing the windows and other cleaning,” Groenleer said. “This is a joy for us and we appreciate the effort by the Rotarians.”
In return for the Rotarians doing the service project, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation will donate $10,000 to the Kaiola Canoe Club for the purpose of the Kaiola Na Opio program for young paddlers 9 to 18 year olds.
The funds will also be directed to four specialized youth programs including the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation program, the Kaua‘i Economic Opportunity After School youth aged from 11-14 years old, the Queen Liliu‘okalani Trust program aged from 8 to 15 years, and Punanaleo Youth Program aged from 5 to 10 years.
“They have children in need,” said Rotarian Bill Harper who noted the new “Rotarian at Work” shirts unveiled during the project.
Kaiola Canoe Club has coached more than 40 Rotary Youth Exchange students from eight countries over the past 16 years, and Kaiola has extended its outreach program by partnering and providing canoe paddling instruction to 26 students from the International Lions Club, hosting students from 17 countries.
All of these programs are provided free to the students.
Currently, Kaiola Canoe Club has about 165 students registered in its specialized youth programs, many of the youth and their families not having the financial resources to purchase paddles and gear to participate in the children’s programs.
The funds will be utilized to meet the increasing demand from students and Kaiola not having to turn away youth. Some of the equipment needed by the club include life jackets, first aid kits, as well as maintaining the paddles and canoes.
“The Rotary Club of Kaua‘i is pleased to be able to help the youth of Kaua‘i through the generosity of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation and the Kaiola Canoe Club,” said Tyler Chihara, Project Chair for the Rotary Club of Kaua‘i.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
