LIHU‘E — Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School sixth-grader Kelsi Uemura was a double-winner Tuesday, as she was available to claim sponsorship into the Boys & Girls Club Lihu‘e Clubhouse summer program from donor Janice Bond.
Recently, Uemura was announced the winner of an art contest hosted by the Kalaheo Dental Group and Ono Pops for her “Healthy Teeth Behind the Mask” submission in observance of National Children’s Dental Health Month.
For her efforts in creating the unique, pull-down artwork demonstrating the healthy teeth behind the mask, Uemura earned an Oral-B electric toothbrush bundle and 10 Ono Pops.
Tuesday, she received the summer-program package that covers her $100 fee for the Boys & Girls Club program that runs from June 7 through July 21, provided by Bond. Uemura’s selection was done by the staff at the Boys & Girls Club.
“I heard Tina Albao talking about the summer program on the radio,” Bond said. “This is something I wanted to do. My grandson John Stem was a member of the Boys & Girls Club Lihu‘e. He’s grown up now, but still volunteers at the Boys & Girls Club.”
Bond is no stranger to helping the Boys & Girls Club, helping one of the Lihu‘e Clubhouse staff members, Grace Peralta, while Peralta was in high school. Peralta, now graduated with a college degree, is one of the staff members hired through the Rise to Work program administered by the county. Following her tour with the Boys & Girls Club, Peralta has a job waiting with a local company.
Albao said the Boys & Girls Club is currently recruiting for the summer program at sites in Kapa‘a, West Kaua‘i and Lihu‘e.
The program is for those 7 to 18 years old, and youth must be a Boys & Girls Club members (membership registration is available when signing up for the summer program). If there is a wait list, interested people are encouraged to leave their names in the event more space opens up.
“We are looking at spaces we can expand,” Albao said. “It’s based on the number of registrations we receive.”
The fees are $100 per child, and $50 for siblings from the same family.
Program hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the Lihu‘e Clubhouse. The Kapa‘a and West Kaua‘i programs run from 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are two holidays when the Boys & Girls Club will be closed — June 11, Kamehameha Day, and July 5 for the Fourth of July.
• Info: 808-245-2210
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
