POIPU — The Sheraton Kauai Resort Banquet crew rolled out two additional tables into the banquet hall that was already filled to accommodate 160 people at the Third Kupuna Luncheon on Thursday.
“They keep coming,” said Katie Brenner, the Sheraton Kauai Resort general manager. “Word must’ve gotten out about how good this event is because I don’t know where the people are coming from, but they keep coming.”
The Kupuna Lunch, born out of an idea from former manager Chip Bahouth, allows kupuna an opportunity to get out, dress up, and celebrate the holidays with lunch, bingo, and prize giveaways.
Response to the annual luncheon has grown to where, for this year, the event was held on Tuesday and on Thursday, resulting in nearly 350 kupuna having a holiday lunch experience.
“This is all possible because of Table 53,” Brenner said. “We took the proceeds from two months of Table 53 to pay for this. We called the beneficiaries of Table 53 to ask them to volunteer and serve as hosts for the kupuna guests. No one said ‘no.’ Even our high school student volunteers are having fun.”
Kauai United Way Executive Director Lori Almarza, escorting kupuna down the special red carpet leading to the Sheraton Kauai ballrooms, was able to squeeze in the luncheon between a pair of Kauai Chamber of Commerce events — the Pau Hana event with the state legislators, and the General Membership Meeting.
“Lynette Medrano-Stine, there’s only two of us, right now, came on Tuesday,” Almarza said. “Today is my turn, and I guess I’ll see you at the Chamber meeting tonight.”
Some of the sponsors of prizes included the Aloha Exchange, Blaze Entertainment, Blue Ocean Adventures, Kauai Nursery and Landscaping, The Shops at Kukuiula, Webco, Lost Girls and Y Hata.
Volunteer groups helping included the Kauai Community College Culinary Arts Department with Chef Steve Nakata and Marty Amaro, Kauai High School, Academy of Hospitality and Tourism, the Kauai United Way, Kumu’s Cupboard, Child and Family Service, Koloa Elementary School, and the Kauai Friends of the Children’s Justice Center.
Table 53 is the best seat in the house in the RumFire restaurant located in the Sheraton Kauai Resort. Under terms of the Table 53 giving program, proceeds of Table 53 for one month are donated to a selected nonprofit organization.
