NAWILIWILI — Island finals for the Kaua‘i Junior Lifeguard program start at about 9 a.m. today at Kalapaki Beach said Kaua‘i Junior Lifeguard instructor Eugene Ancheta.
That announcement brought some concerned looks and some stifled groans as participants of the Kalapaki Beach class realized the state finals would conflict with a scheduled surf meet.
About 50 of Kaua‘i’s young people were enjoying the last minutes of their invitation to participate in the two-day Water Day event hosted by Tahina’s in the Harbor Square Shopping Center, Friday.
“This is the result of a contest we sponsored through Facebook,” said Tracy Tafiti of Tahina’s. “The event is hosted by the Young Entrepreneurs of Kaua‘i and in addition to the Facebook people, we gave out about 50 tickets through the radio stations. This event is open to the public.”
She said the Junior Lifeguards were invited after being involved in a water activity at the Nawiliwili Park with the Kaua‘i Fire Department tankers.
“They have the island finals, Saturday, so they had to come early, Friday,” Tafiti said. “Now, they’re starting to wind down in preparation for the finals.”
Ancheta said the Kalapaki class is the final class for the summer program which started June 13 and covered sites at Salt Pond, Lydgate, Hanalei, Po‘ipu and Kalapaki Beach.
Once the final class is done, all competitors come together for the Island Finals which determine the participants who will continue on to the state finals.
“This is going to be our eighth,” Ancheta said. “Last year, we successfully defended our state title for the seventh year.”
During the week-long Junior Lifeguard classes which are free to young people ages 13 to 17, participants learn ocean safety skills with discussions and lessons on drug awareness, physical conditioning and competition skills which encompass beach and ocean safety and physical conditioning.
The program was sponsored by the County of Kaua‘i, the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association, the Kaua‘i Lifeguard Association and numerous community businesses and individuals who contribute to the program.
Tafiti said the Young Entrepreneurs of Kaua‘i is a group of teenagers between 13 to 17 years old who work to sponsor drug and alcohol-free events for kids when there is no school.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
