WAIMEA — A 12-passenger van owned by the West Kauai Boys &Girl’s Club, used to transport dozens of children each week, was damaged Friday night when someone cut the van’s fuel line and stole the vehicle’s gas.
The damages and theft rendered the van unusable, stranding a flag football team that was scheduled to play in a game Saturday, but thanks to a friend of the Boys &Girls Club and a local motorcycle club, the van was fixed.
Damages were estimated at about $2,000.
“We’re thankful no one was hurt,” said Paddy Kauhane, executive vice president on Monday.
The damage was discovered Saturday morning when a staff member took the van to the gas station to fill it up. Members, parents and community partners were immediately informed about the vandalism and told the van would be out of commission for the next week, she said.
“As a nonprofit organization, we truly struggle to find the funds for unexpected repairs such as these. We also do not have the resources to keep multiple vehicles on hand, or to pay for busing services, should our vehicles be out of service,” Kauhane said.
That’s when Tim “Sully” Sullivan and the Kanaka Hekili Motorcycle Club – Kauai Chapter, stepped in, she said.
“They rode in like our superheroes and completely repaired the van at no cost to the Boys &Girls Club. Because of them we are back and our van is as good as new again,” Kauhane said.
Aside from having their van fixed, she said a local organization has offered to park it in a more secure location to prevent more vandalism.
The Boys &Girls Club is thankful for their help, she said.
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Bethany Freudenthal, Crime, courts, county reporter, 652-7891, bfreudenthal@thegardenisland.com
