LIHU‘E — The blessing of a new van and food trailer was just finished before the Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i Branch’s Tish Ruiz and Chyenne Beach had to roll Tuesday from the Puhi offices and warehouse.
The Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i Branch hosted a blessing for its new van and a food trailer destined for the Westside Christian Center, whose Pastor Darryl Kua officiated the service.
Wes Perreira, foodbank branch manager, said the Kaua‘i United Way grant allowed them to get the new van, estimated at $50,000, and the trailer that cost an additional $5,000 plus shipping.
“They can really use the trailer in Kekaha,” said Michelle Panoke of the foodbank. “This will allow the Westside Christian Center to do a lot more events as well as partner with more people to get things done.”
Kua said the trailer will be out on the Thursday, April 1 Na Ho‘omaka Hou pop-up food distribution when it sets up at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center.
Appointments are needed to participate in the pop-up event, and registration opens at 9 a.m. Thursday at hawaiifoodbank.org for the first 300 families.
With the blessing still fresh in the morning air, Ruiz and Beach rolled off in the newly-blessed van to pick up food from a drive at the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands office in the State Building.
“This is Kuhio Week,” said Erna Kamibayasi, homestead district supervisor. “The residents wanted to do something to honor Prince Jonah Kuhio. We don’t have the service, so what better way than to bring what they can to help people during this time.”
Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day, created in 1949, remembers Kuhio’s life and efforts to improve people’s lives in Hawai‘i. One of his memorable feats was shepherding the passage of the 1920 Hawaiian Homes Commission Act to provide homesteads for native Hawaiians. Kuhio was born on Kaua‘i, at Kukui‘ula, on March 26, 1871.
The Kuhio holiday is celebrated this Friday, March 26, and is a state and county holiday.
