LIHU‘E — There were many reasons why people purchased books from Sheila Bradley of USBorne Books and More on Saturday during the book sale being held behind the stage at the Kukui Grove Center food court.
“I would talk to the kids about the books they were looking at,” said a former volunteer at the book sales who now volunteers at the Kaua‘i Ocean Discovery. “The kids would all tell their parents or grandparents how important the book was and how they needed to get it.”
Elyse Litvack, co-founder and president of Kumu’s Cupboard, a Kaua‘i educators’ resource center in the Kukui Marketplace, said Bradley’s book sales helps Kumu’s Cupboard get books into the hands of teachers.
“For every thousand titles Sheila moves, Kumu’s Cupboard gets 500 books,” Litvack said. “These all go in the library and eventually make their way into teachers’ classrooms.”
Kumu’s Cupboard is the island’s nonprofit organization that provides free school supplies and educational aids to Kaua‘i’s teachers in public, private and charter schools that are used in classrooms to enhance the presentation of materials being taught to students. These items, if needed to be purchased without Kumu’s Cupboard, would be paid for out of teachers’ personal budgets.
Located near the Target store, people and businesses donate school supplies and items for art, science and other projects that are stocked on shelves similar to traditional retail stores, at Kumu’s Cupboard. Teachers visit Kumu’s Cupboard and select what they can use to enhance their teaching in the classroom, all for free.
This year, donations to Kumu’s Cupboard made from Nov. 16 through Dec. 16 are doubled due to the generosity of the Grove Farm Foundation, which will match contributions to a maximum of $5,000.
“This is the seventh year Grove Farm has awarded us a generous matching-grant opportunity,” Litvack said. “Donations can be mailed to Kumu’s Cupboard at P.O. Box 3650, Lihu‘e, HI 96766, or come visit the store, email us at kumuscupboard@gmail.com, or call us at 808-212-9450, extension 81.”
Book lovers, particularly lovers of children’s books, have an opportunity to browse the latest titles on Nov. 25, when Bradley and Kumu’s Cupboard set up the book sale at the Palm Court area at The Shops at Kukui‘ula from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“That’s Black Friday,” Litvack said. “Last year was the first time we set up at The Shops at Kukui‘ula and, surprisingly, there were a lot of book sales. We’re looking forward to setting up at the Palm Court at The Shops at Kukui‘ula again.”
Pillare Mukai of The Shops at Kukui‘ula said the South Shore shopping center will be enhancing the experience with Black Friday sales throughout the center, and shoppers earn triple HawaiianMiles on every dollar spent to a maximum of $500. There may be additional restrictions that apply.
Additionally, the 25th is the launch of the Koloa School Holiday Bag fundraiser, featuring hand-decorated gift bags created by Koloa School students in kindergarten through grade five. For a nominal contribution, shoppers get gift bags that include a holiday tag and a bow.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
