LIHUE — With the help of Kauai Police Department Capt. Rod Green of the U.S. Marine Corps League, and Barbara Green, The Kauai Salvation Army launched the 2024 Toys for Tots campaign on Friday with its first shopping trip at the Walmart store.
Working in partnership with The Salvation Army, the Toys for Tots provides much of the toys needed to help children in need have a better holiday season through programs offered at the Lihue and Hanapepe Corps.
“We won’t be setting up the collection site at the Kauai Veterans Center until Black Friday, or the day following Thanksgiving,” Green said. “Today’s shopping trip covers the needs of the various Salvation Army programs, including the Angel Tree, and the holiday family distributions.”
Salvation Army Corps Officer Lt. Andrielli Gonsalves of the Salvation Army, Hanapepe Corps announced registration for the Angel Tree will take place on Nov. 13 for keiki 0 to 13 years old, and kupuna ages 60 and over.
“The Salvation Army Angel Tree program helps provide Christmas gifts for hundreds of thousands of keiki and kupuna around the country, each year,” Lt. Andrielli said.
Registration can be done in-person, or online through the www.saangeltree.org/ website.
In-person registration will occur from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and each child in the participating household must show a photo identification and proof of residence.
The Salvation Army invites the community for a free Thanksgiving Day luncheon that will be taking place on Nov. 27, starting at 11 a.m. at serving sites in Lihue, and Hanapepe.
The Lihue site will be done in a drive-through format at the Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall with meals being served on a first come, first served basis.
The Hanapepe site is at the Hanapepe Corps, located adjacent to the Hanapepe Neighborhood Center and the Hanapepe Stadium where the first meals will be served starting at 11 a.m.
Other holiday programs offered by the Salvation Army, Hawaiian and Pacific Islands Division, include the familiar Red Kettle program where community volunteers ring the bells for donations outside prominent community locations. Proceeds from the Red Kettle program help millions of people in need each year.
This year, the Salvation Army has brought the Red Kettle experience into the digital world with the Virtual Red Kettle. Donors simply choose the Virtual Kettle closest to where they are located, select the amount to give, and click the “donate” button.
For more information on volunteering, or contributing to any of the Salvation Army holiday events, call the Salvation Army, Lihue at 808-245-2571, or the Salvation Army, Hanapepe at 808-335-5441.
“Thanks to the generosity of the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa who will be cooking the turkeys, we have a few senior groups from the Westside providing entertainment,” said Lt. Jose Gonzalez, the Salvation Army Corps Officer for the Hanapepe Corps. “Salvation Army advisory board member Bart Thomas who recently did a fundraising Golf Ball Drop during the Veterans Day golf tournament will be our emcee. This should be a lot of fun.”
