Kauai Fire Department Deputy Chief Chief Kilipaki Vaughan (he just got off the plane from a day-long, off-island trip), right, works to gain an advantage over the Wilcox Elementary School student in the obstacle course at the Ohana Fun Night Friday at the school’s Lihue campus.
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Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island
Kauai Police Department Chief Todd Raybuck is a step back of the Wilcox Elementary School student during the obstacle course at the Ohana Fun Night Friday at the school’s Lihue campus.
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Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island
Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami never made it to the obstacle course as he checks out at the book sale that was part of the Ohana Fun Night at Wilcox Elementary School in Lihue Friday.
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Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island
Wilcox Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Barbara Bloemke (did you know she was one of the founders of the Lights on Rice holiday parade?) watches a student use a squirter to try and fill a drinking cup from a distance during the school’s Ohana Fun Night Friday at the campus in Lihue.
Dennis Fujimoto The Garden Island
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Nope, Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami didnt make it to the obstacle course, where everyone was anxious to see how he would do against the never-ending supply of Wilcox Elementary School students who competed against celebrities, including Kauai Fire Department Deputy Chief Kilipaki Vaughan (he was even distracted by tossing fuzz balls in the Not In My Backyard game!) and the KFD crews, Kauai Police Department Chief Todd Raybuck and the KPD crew (Paul Applegate said he lost count of how many kids beat him in that course). The students had their eye on KPDs Capt. Rod Green after being warmed up by the KFD crews.
Nope, Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami didn’t make it to the obstacle course, where everyone was anxious to see how he would do against the never-ending supply of Wilcox Elementary School students who competed against celebrities, including Kauai Fire Department Deputy Chief Kilipaki Vaughan (he was even distracted by tossing fuzz balls in the Not In My Backyard game!) and the KFD crews, Kauai Police Department Chief Todd Raybuck and the KPD crew (Paul Applegate said he lost count of how many kids beat him in that course). The students had their eye on KPD’s Capt. Rod Green after being warmed up by the KFD crews.
Kudos to Corey Nakamura, Jojo Kawamura and the many hands that put on the Ohana Fun Night, where kindergarten teacher Tamra Martin (she’s the person behind that well-known Kauai Home branding!) had some school logowear available with an assortment of stickers, and Barbara Bloemke (that fifth-grade teacher is one of the founders of the Lights on Rice parade — is Megan Nii, Kauai’s Teacher of the Year, and the Performing Arts kids going to be in it again? — coming up Friday, Dec. 6!) worked with Ronson Sahut to get water squirters to become a safe, competitive event.
What a great way to welcome the weekend and preface the arrival of Hilo High School Vikings girls soccer team, and the University of Hawaii’s Charlie Wade and the reigning Big West champion men’s volleyball team (see the stories and photos on B1)!
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
