Happy Camper for Saturday, March 8, 2025

The Collegiate Challenge group from Seton Hall University in New Jersey traveled across the country to help build houses as an “early Spring Break.” The group is one of several Collegiate Challenge groups that raise funds for travel within the country to help build houses and, in the case of the Seton Hall group, help celebrate home completions … Kudos to Milani Pimental and the Kauai Habitat for Humanity ohana for distributing keys to four hard-working homebuyers!

Sean Chun was at the key passing as a guest and supporter (Pastor Olaf Hoeckmann Percival of the Waimea Church of Christ did a fantastic job with the blessing!) ahead of his task of blessing the repairs at Vidinha Stadium that utilized o‘o created by Coach Todd Ozaki (more bowlers are heading to college through bowling). Kudos to Kylan Dela Cruz and Mike Contrades for leading the work, which will include installing artificial turf and expanding the field to create a full-sized soccer field. I can’t wait for Phase II …

Several of those homebuyers made it to Hanapepe Stadium as security for the host Waimea High School during the opening scrimmage for the first Girls Flag Football games where 14 and Under Girls Flag Football players and parents from the Hanapepe Cowboys Kauai Youth Football league operated the food booth for the free games.

Kudos to the Kauai Interscholastic Federation and all the hands involved in launching the program in an atmosphere similar to the old days’ Pop Warner Jamboree (the only thing missing was the big parade).

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Dennis Fujimoto can be reached at 245-0453 or at dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.