HANAPEPE — About a hundred people collected at Hanapepe Soto Zen Temple to honor and pay tribute to Martin Luther King Jr., as part of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday.
“We even have visitors here,” said Liz Hahn of the Baha‘i faith of Kaua‘i. “They read the article in the newspaper and came. And not only did they come, many brought supplies to include in the first aid kits we’re packing.”
Following the traditional honorarium which included the singing of “Happy 95th Birthday” and a special birthday cake honoring MLK, the group of people embarked on a project of packing 300 personal-sized, portable first aid kits that were geared from the houseless community.
“These kits will be used when we start the Point in Time Count census of counting the number of homeless people that starts on Jan. 23,” said Farah Aquino, the homeless coordinator for Kaua‘i, who works through the Housing Agency. “We could use 400 kits, but today, the people are just packing for 300 kits.”
The seed for the idea stemmed from Analeigh Atkinson, the IROK secretary who, through interaction with various community groups and individuals, was inspired to create personal-sized, portable first aid kits for those who would otherwise not have ready access to first aid supplies.
In the spirit of interfaith, the gathering of people set out to create the portable first aid kits, amid videos of previous King speeches and events, including King’s visit to Hawai‘i that played on a television set sitting atop a Martin Luther King display.
Joining the activity, local artist “Aunty Leah” Orr hosted a walking Slippah mural based on the Six Paramitas of Buddhism — generosity, morality, patience, vigor, concentration and wisdom. The mural is intended as an MLK Day project with the message of “Walk in Peace.”
The Point in Time Count is a federally mandated census from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Completed biannually, the count provides a snapshot of all those experiencing homelessness in the states’s shelters, streets, beaches, cars, or other places not intended for human habitation. The count is vital for establishing federal funding from HUD, as well as state, local and private funding to help end homelessness.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
