LIHUE — Starting Thursday, Kauai Police Department (KPD) officers will be joined by Kauai Special Olympics athletes and sponsors on the ground at Walmart store in Lihue to launch the annual Badges and Buckets fundraiser.
Additionally, KPD officers will be on the rooftop of Walmart after being hoisted to the roof at 6 a.m. on Thursday by a Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) service truck.
“Like the previous years, KIUC will be providing their bucket truck to hoist the police officers on the roof of our Kauai Walmart where they will be spending three days and two nights to support our Kauai athletes,” said Lisa Aki, the Area Director for Special Olympics Kauai Area.
“This year, we have Sgt. Morris Unutoa, Special Resource Officer John Anderson, SRO Kaulana Renaud and SRO Tyler Uratsuka, who will be braving all the rain, wind and sun to help our Special Olympic athletes.”
The fundraiser benefiting the Special Olympics Kauai will continue through Saturday until the group reaches its goal of $25,000.
“We welcome and look forward to one, and all assisting our cause by contributing donations during our event,” Aki said. “Special Olympics T-shirts and other incentives will be available through Saturday.”
Major sponsors for the Badges and Buckets include KIUC, Kaiwa Construction and the Kauai Police Department.
Special Olympics, over the past 50 years, has grown from a modest program serving local athletes to become the world’s largest movement dedicated to promoting respect, acceptance, inclusion and human dignity for people with intellectual disabilities through sports.
For more information about Special Olympics Kauai, the Badges and Buckets fundraiser, to enroll an athlete or become a volunteer, please connect with Aki at email KauaiAD@SOHawaii.org, or call 808-639-6960.
