KAPAA — Kalei Arinaga said the expressions on the faces of Kapaa Elementary School summer program students at the Mayor-a-thon are priceless.
“They show the pride of the work they do when they see the trash cans lining the multi-use path,” said Arinaga, a Kapaa Elementary summer program leader. “This year, the students are painting 20 trash cans provided by the county for the Mayor-a-thon, which takes place Saturday.”
Using paints leftover when a group adopted the school two years ago and painted murals on classroom walls, students started work on the trash cans Monday and will complete everything today.
“Thursday, we’ll meet with a county representative at the Kealia Beach lifeguard tower and the kids will walk the path, lugging the completed trash cans on their back,” Arinaga said. “The students will decide where the cans will be place along the path up until the starting point at the Kapaa Beach Park.”
Randi Keipper, Arinaga’s daughter, said the trash cans were primed last week, and that today, student teams will work to paint designs on the painted trash cans.
“Our theme this year is plants,” Keipper said. “We have a classroom set up with specimens of ohia lehua, koa, and other native plants as well as illustrations of sea plant, which the students are studying.”
Arinaga said this is the second year the Kapaa Elementary School summer program has undertaken the task of sprucing up the trash receptacles along the multi-use path.
“We have 140 students in the summer program,” Arinaga said. “Last year, we had about 20 students actually participating in the Mayor-a-thon. Hopefully, this year, we’ll have more participating.”
Registration for the Mayor-a-thon 2013 is currently being accepted at www.getfitkauai.com for the event, Saturday at the Kapaa Beach Park, starting at 7:15 a.m.
Online registration closes Thursday for the event being hosted by Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr. and Get Fit Kauai, described as a free 1-, 2-, 4-, 6-, or 8-mile walk, bike, or run event. Dogs on leashes are also welcome.
Additionally, free Mayor-a-thon specials will be running starting at 6:15 a.m. at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center Bus Stop with stops at the Waimea Athletic Field stop at 6:20 a.m., the Hanapepe Multi-Purpose Building Bus Stop at 6:30 a.m., the Kalaheo Post Office Bust Stop at 6:40 a.m., and the Kukui Grove Bus Stop at 6:55 a.m. Return trip to the Westside will meet at the Kapaa Public Library bus stop at 11 a.m.
A Zero Waste event, the Mayor-a-thon offers breakfast, dancing, games, Zumba and prizes, including drawings for five bicycles.
All registered participants have an opportunity to earn a two-night stay at the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club.
As an incentive, the first 600 people registering will receive free T-shirts.
Visit www.getfitkauai.com, or call 212-4765 for more information on the Mayor-a-thon.
