KEKAHA — One of the recipients of the food distribution, the first in a line of cars that snaked eastward down Kekaha Road toward the old Kekaha Sugar Company mill, said she needed to come early because she had a doctor’s appointment Thursday.
“We came at 7 a.m.,” the driver with two passengers said as she started the car. “The line opens at 10 a.m., but I have a doctor’s appointment so I don’t want to miss out.”
The Westside Christian Center Assembly of God in Kekaha normally hosts its food pantry, in a drive-thru format due to COVID-19 rules, on the final Thursday of the month, starting at 10 a.m.
This month’s pantry coincided with the day before Christmas Eve, and resulted in a lot of food being distributed through partnerships with the Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i, E Ola Mau o Kekaha and local Kekaha farmers.
“This is a lot of food,” said Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i Director Wes Perreira as he and his wife, Stacie, were tasked with breaking down cardboard boxes for recycling. “Even I was surprised at how much food is going out.”
The Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i provided bags of rice, not the small, five-pound size, but the bigger, 15-pound bags, cereal and assorted non-perishable food for at least 300 packages. These supplies were enhanced by the addition of hamburgers, chicken and bags of fresh produce, and topped with keiki supplies, including boxes of crayons.
“This is nothing,” a volunteer with E Ola Mau said. “You should’ve been here Sunday when there was caroling through the town. Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami was here, and so was Hawai‘i Senate President Ron Kouchi. After the caroling, we fed everyone!”
Cars flowed through the pickup, Pastor Darryl Kua taking the time to bless each one as they came through. He also blessed passers-by who stopped to find out the reason for the line of vehicles.
“These are really good people,” said a neighbor from across the street who capitalized on the morning of sunshine to weed whack the yard. “They operate Subway Sandwich in Waimea, and you always see them bringing things for neighbors and people in the community. This is Christmas, and this pantry is special because of the extra things going out.”
