NAWILIWILI — Among the food presented to associates from the Kaua‘i Marriott, there were boxes of Girl Scout cookies, and bags of Starbucks coffee, Thursday.
“Angela Hoover, the Kaua‘i Girl Scout coordinator, arranged to have the Girl Scout cookies to be included with today’s food distribution,” said Edie Ignacio Neumiller of the Zonta Club of Kaua‘i. “I also invited her to join us as volunteers to help with the distribution.”
Other volunteers included about 20 members from the Zonta Club of Kaua‘i, members of Kaua‘i’s credit unions who took advantage of the early finish of packaging to get in a meeting for the Back to School Bash that the Kaua‘i credit unions will be involved in.
“This food distribution is just a warmup for the Back to School Bash,” said Terri Kaniho of the Gather Federal Credit Union. “We’re all in — just like when we do the Back to School Bash.”
Other volunteers participating at Neumiller’s invitation included Isabel Gampon, the reigning Miss Hawai‘i Filipina Council, and Carrice Gardner, the governor’s Kaua‘i liaison who adjourned the morning in sufficient time to view the annual Governor’s Luncheon presented by the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce via distance meeting.
The food distribution was presented to associates of the Kaua‘i Marriott, many of whom have been laid off and furloughed from March. Thursday’s budget included more than 1,400 hot meals plated, and more than 300 food packages prepared.
“We’re just busy bees,” said Cyndi Ayonon of the Zonta Club of Kaua‘i. “It’s the power of women — and one man, Randy Francisco of the Kaua‘i Filipino Chamber of Commerce.”
According to the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank, a major player in the distribution, each associate received a hot plate meal and a food package containing assorted canned food, pasta, snacks, and other items, including a gallon of milk, and hamburger.
“This must be Father’s Day,” one of the credit union representatives said while waiting on cars to process through the Human Resources Committee. “The tortillas can last until Fourth of July, and you can use them to make peanut butter wraps, or crush them for chips.”
Kelvin Moniz, the KIFB executive director, said the intent of the food packages is to be able and get the most mileage out of what is presented — making a meal that can feed a family instead of just one person.
“This is really good that they do this for their associates,” said Chantal Zarbaugh of the Kaua‘i Government Employees Federal Credit Union that hosts its own food distribution for the community. “But this is an operation.”
Chuck Brady of the Kaua‘i Marriott’s Human Resources department, said the Marriott hosts the distribution because they are part of the community.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
