Congresswoman Jill Tokuda said candidly on Saturday that she had never really experienced anything like the Back to School Bash school supplies giveaway at the Kukui Grove Center.
Tokuda was overwhelmed by the several thousand people, largely students and parents, that swarmed the shopping center to seek out the free 2,500 backpacks filled with various school supplies. Vendors offering information and resources for school added to the giveaway with school supplies themed premiums that made a sizeable impact on the lists of required school supplies.
Faced with rising prices from the usual inflation, tariffs and other factors adding to pricing increases, Melissa McFerrin of the Kukui Grove leadership team said this year’s event would not have been possible without the step-up help from sponsors.
Hawaii Foodservice Alliance used to be the singular flagship sponsor. This year, the responsibility shifted to have Captain Andy’s, the Sheraton Kauai Resort in Poipu, and the Blue Dolphin Charters join HFA as the program’s presenting sponsors.
Additionally, Aloha Freight stepped up its effort to “tremendously” help getting the supplies from the stores to the shopping center.
“Everyone did a tremendous job of stepping up to the challenge,” McFerrin Warrack said. “But without the sponsors, none of this could have happened.”
Volunteers from sponsoring organizations stepped forward on Wednesday to help break down the school supplies shipment and pack them into individual backpacks that were designated for elementary, middle and high school students. The manpower effort was rewarded by first-time sponsor Jamba Juice that provided on-the-spot smoothies to battle the heat and high humidity.
Additionally, Jamba Juice showed up during the event with special coupons that were distributed to school supplies recipients.
Entertainment was student-based, including a highlight performance from the Hawaii Children’s Theatre “Shrek the Musical Jr.” that opens on Friday, the night following the one-night Rising Stars Showcase at the Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall.
“The students have been working very hard,” said HCT Director Tom Frascatore. “They deserve to be seen (and enjoyed).”
Among the special guests like Tokuda, Kauai Complex Area Superintendent Leila Maeda-Kobayashi personally greeted students and parents waiting in the line, and principals and vice principals from the different schools filtered through the throng with helping hands.
“It takes a village to support our Kauai kids,” said a press release from Kukui Grove Center. “Mahalo to every one who make this event possible each year.”
The first day of school is Aug. 4. According to the Hawaii Department of Education estimates, there are nearly 8,900 students in pre-K through Grade 12 registered to enter public schools on Kauai.
Source: The Garden Island
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