Marie Cassel, president of Sweet Marie’s in Waipouli, had a dilemma Saturday. “There’s about an hour and a half remaining, and I think I should go back and get more,” said Cassel, a vendor at the Food Bank Foodfest. “I’m
Marie Cassel, president of Sweet Marie’s in Waipouli, had a dilemma Saturday.
“There’s about an hour and a half remaining, and I think I should go back and get more,” said Cassel, a vendor at the Food Bank Foodfest. “I’m almost out and I’m sure I can do some macaroons and get creative with that.”
Cassel said she prepared some 200 miniature cupcakes and with the steady stream of patrons flowing past the admission tables, that supply had dwindled rapidly at the food court area of the Kukui Grove Shopping Village.
Helping the cause was the morning of threatening weather punctuated with showers and a chilly breeze that sent shoppers under the roof where many succumbed to the aroma of the culinary crew from Roy’s Restaurant.
Andy Melamed of KQNG Radio said he was moved to do this first-ever event after seeing a photo of the empty shelves at the Kaua‘i Food Bank.
“I figured, if we have a food festival and everybody comes out and does a little, everyone benefits,” he said.
And he was right as 19 vendors provided food and culinary talent for patrons who, for a $10 cash donation, or a 10-pound bag of rice, or 10 canned goods, were able to select four selections from the variety of vendors and select a beverage.
Jaime Arreola of Duke’s Restaurant at Kalapaki Beach did more.
Using a wheelbarrow, Arreola arrived with 100 pounds of rice and navigated the load to the depository.
“We would have liked to have cooked, but couldn’t, so at least we can give them rice,” Arreola said.
Vendors who provided food for patrons included two new eating establishments including the Westin Princeville, who also contributed part of the event grand prize of an $800 weekend getaway as well as offering a sushi wrap from its restaurant.
The Eastside, now occupying the space formerly held by Beezer’s in Kapa‘a, also offered sushi offerings in a table manned by Carlos Garcia, Leah Nagao and John Pflueger. Garcia and Pflueger kept busy cranking out sushi as hungry patrons loaded their plates.
Other food vendors included the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort and Beach Club, the Sheraton Kaua‘i, the Hilton Kaua‘i Beach Resort, Roy’s, Keoki’s Paradise, Rob’s Good Time Grill, Colenti’s, Tomkats, Regency at Puakea Catering, the Kaua‘i Athletic Club Deli, Kalapaki Joe’s, Coldstone Creamery, Quiznos, Kaua‘i Bakery, Kaua‘i Springs and Kaua‘i Coffee.
Peppering the event was a full schedule of entertainment including appearances by comedian Augie T who hosted a special Jun Ken Po contest before announcing the fashion show by the Garden Island Motorsports featuring the Harley (Davidson) Girls.
Kelvin Moniz, the Kaua‘i Food Bank’s development officer, said that Augie T was also hosting a special concert at the Kaua‘i Community College Performing Arts Center where people could attend for a dollar, or a canned good. Proceeds would also benefit the Kaua‘i Food Bank.
Additional contributors provided a wealth of items that were given away as special door prizes, including the grand prize of the Westin Princeville $800 weekend package that combined with a $500 shopping spree from Kukui Grove.
Other prizes included a $500 Otsukas spree, a $50 Visa cash card, 10 gallons of milk from Meadow Gold, $300 Island House and Home spree, a two-night stay at Kaha Lani, a cocktail table from Two Frogs Hugging and a liberal sprinkling of Augie T DVDs.
Moniz said the entire event would not have been possible without the tremendous community support of everyone, and noted that earlier in the week, members of the Kaua‘i High School Key Club spent part of their lunch hour on two days to prepare the utensils for the Food Fest.
“We are at about the halfway mark in food for the Holiday Food and Fund Drive,” Moniz told Dickie Chang of Wala‘au in an event interview. “As for funds, we are at about 60 percent of our goal of $40,000.”
The Foodfest was made possible through the sponsorships of Kaua‘i Coffee, Pioneer Hi-Bred, Oceanic Time Warner Cable, The Garden Island newspaper, Wala‘au Productions, the Kukui Grove Shopping Center, Garden Island Motorsports, the Big Save Markets and Menehune Food Marts and the KQNG Radio Group.
“There is no qualifying for hunger,” Moniz said. “Hunger is not something a person qualifies for. It is a need. When you’re hungry, you don’t qualify for it. You are just hungry.”
The Kaua‘i Food Bank’s Holiday Food and Fund Drive continues through mid-December with a goal of trying to raise 40,000 pounds of food and $40,000.
Contributers can continue to drop off items at any of the Kaua‘i fire stations, or at the Kaua‘i Food Bank’s Nawiliwili facility during its operating hours.
Special accommodations can be made by calling the Food Bank at 246-3809.
Shioi Construction, collecting food from a dozen of its affiliates, did so Friday afternoon when Moniz and James Hughes picked up 494 pounds of food and $1,032 in cash contributions.
These were broken down to include 40 pounds from Action Electric, 25 pounds from Beachside Roofing, 29 pounds from Diamond Plumbing, $100 from HAMCA, 50 pounds from JD Painting & Decorating, 128 pounds from Kaua‘i Hydro-Seed & Landscaping, 20 pounds from Pacific Concrete Cutting & Coring, 32 pounds and $100 from Raynor Kaua‘i Overhead Door Co., $125 from Ron’s Electric, 13 pounds from TG Electric, $50 from Sharon Yoshimoto and 157 pounds and $657 from Shioi Construction.
For more information, visit www.kauaifoodbank.org
