Nearly 8,900 students will return to class on Aug. 4, according to estimates from the new Kauai Complex Area Superintendent Leila Maeda-Kobayashi.
Maeda-Kobayashi was one of more than 70 volunteers who turned out to the Kukui Grove Center on Wednesday with the mission of packing backpacks with essential school supplies like pencils, erasers, markers, composition tablets, folders, binders, folder paper and more.
Other volunteers included school principals, vice principals, teachers, retired teachers and representatives from businesses. The singular mission was to pack the backpacks in anticipation of Saturday when the 2,500 backpacks will be distributed during the Back to School Bash that runs from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. throughout the shopping center where tenants will be celebrating with specials and activities, and student-based entertainment.
“Even if you couldn’t register for the backpacks (registration was ‘sold out’ within 24 hours of being announced), there are ways that people can get backpacks,” said Melissa McFerrin Warrack of the Kukui Grove leadership team. “All of the backpacks will be given away on Saturday. For those who couldn’t register online, we will have an on-site registration that will open from 10:30 a.m. Finally, at 2 p.m., or a few minutes before closing, all unclaimed backpacks from people who could not make their appointed times will be given away on a first come, first served basis.”
Additionally, McFerrin Warrack said a lot of the sponsored tables will have school supply related giveaways.
“We couldn’t do this without our sponsors,” McFerrin Warrack said. “Aloha Freight really stepped up and paid to get these supplies here. Last year, we paid to have the materials here. And, our first-time sponsor, Jamba Juice, how perfect to have shakes for all of our volunteers — especially since the wind is forecast to get lighter. And, the Royal Sonesta Kauai Beach Resort is providing this year’s grand prize again.”
The four main presenting sponsors include the Hawaii Foodservice Alliance, Capt. Andy’s, the Sheraton Kauai Resort and Blue Dolphin Charters.
Other sponsors include Keiki to Career, the Kauai Action Planning Alliance, Kamehameha Schools, Wilcox Health, the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, Jamba Juice, Sign Art, Earthworks, Hawaii Building Maintenance, the shopping center’s maintenance crew, Kauai Ohana, Primerica, Garden Isle Courier, Deli and Bread Connection, the Kauai Society of Artists, Bubbah’s Toy Box, Pyramid Insurance, Wayne D. Medeiros, Kim Chee No. 9, KQNG Radio, TGI and Garden Island Disposal.
Source: The Garden Island