HANAPEPE — Kauai offered at least two events that honor and recognize kupuna this month, ahead of September honoring grandparents.
Sept. 7 is declared Grandparents Day by presidential decree, Sept. 7-13 is observed as Grandparents Week, and September is Grandparents Month.
But on Wednesday, the Salvation Army Hanapepe Corps, with Lts. Jose and Andrielli Gonzalez, hosted more than 100 kupuna, including members of the Kekaha, Hanapepe and Waimea senior centers, and anyone else who needed a free lunch.
They were joined by other leaders of the Salvation Army Oahu offices in hosting the luncheon that received help from the West Kauai Lions Club and other community volunteers.
“We would not be as strong as we are without the kupuna and the help they bring to the Salvation Army,” said Jose Gonzalez. “The least we can do is provide them a meal.”
Eric Nordmeier of the West Kauai Lions Club said the group just got through repainting the insides of the Thrift Shop, which has been closed.
“This is all part of getting ready to re-open the Thrift Shop,” Nordmeier said. “Shirley Medeiros-Simbre is going to be in charge of it when it does re-open. The club also comes to volunteer on the last week of the month at the Kokua Soup Kitchen. We would do more, but that’s the only dates they had open.”
Haunani Kaui, one of the entertainers at the Thursday luncheon, will be on the entertainment lineup of Na Kupuna O Kauai Legacy of Aloha: From Mauka to Makai when it opens at 9 a.m. on Saturday at the Lydgate Park Main Pavilion.
Kaui will be joined by Linda Tani as Tropical Grove in providing music during lunch at the festivities following the honoring of kupuna led by Kauai County Councilmembers Bernard Carvalho, Mel Rapozo and Fern Holland.
To celebrate kupuna, the day will feature a flower shower drop followed by hula from different halau, Japanese dance and taiko performances, and a touch of Filipino with Skip Caycayon and the kupuna ukulele group led by Queenie Daligdig. There will also be a flavor of Tahiti with Tepairu Manea and Tumoana, the group led by Kumuy Nick Kaneakua who won the overall trophy during the recent Heiva i Kauai.
For more information, visit the website www.okauailoa..com, or email kauailegacyofaloha@gmail.com.
Source: The Garden Island