Waimea High School student Carmela Udarbe left her plants in the charge of her coach, Basilio “Bunga” Fuertes, and her mother on Saturday during the Kauai Healthy Living Fall Celebration presented by the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation Kauai Region.
“Carmela’s helping for a little while with the Waimea High School health academy,” her mother said. “If you stop by the HOSA table, she’ll be there.”
Carmela had her vegetable starters — primarily different varieties of eggplant, peppers and ti leaf — as part of the Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital Auxiliary craft fair that joined the Healthy Living Celebration on the KVMH campus. One of its new parking lots was closed off to accommodate the 39 vendors, including 20 HHSC vendors that included the different clinics as well as KVMH departments.
Carmela started germinating vegetable starters when she was in the fifth grade at Eleele Elementary School as a means of making some money for her college fund at the advice of her basketball coach. The program was so successful, Carmela earned a prestigious state award when she graduated fifth grade, and even generated funds to help her brother with a mainland school trip.
Across from the Waimea High School HOSA display, Waimea High School student Ikaika Miyashiro of the Menehune football team got help from a J1 hire — or more commonly known as the teachers from the Philippines — teacher from Eleele Elementary School, the teacher’s husband, and several KVMH volunteers in distributing free vegetable starters as a senior project.
According to Ikaika’s advisor, Waimea High School instructor Ryan Kakuda, Miyashiro prepared for 500 seedlings to be distributed at the KVMH event.
“But, that’s not the only event he did,” Kakuda said. “Earlier in the summer, he propagated 600 plants that were distributed for free during the Koloa Plantation Days parade where he got to meet Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke.”
A steady stream of families armed with passports worked their way through a circular path around the tents containing the 39 vendors and separated by an entertainment section where Cruz Control was playing.
“See you in Honolulu,” said emcee Mele Apana as State President Ronald Kouchi stopped by the entertainment area to offer brief remarks. Kouchi was joined by Council Chair Mel Rapozo, who thanked HHSC Kauai Region CEO Lance Segawa for having the community-building event.
The Healthy Living festival is sponsored by the Kekaha Agriculture Association who featured Aloun Farms in close proximity to the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai, which was distributing free bags of groceries selected from the new refrigerated mobile pantry to those who signed up.
“The annual Fall Festival — it’s also sponsored by the Kekaha Agriculture Association — is moving,” said Jackie Kanna of the KVMH Marketing Department. “It’s going to take place on Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hanapepe Ball Park.”
Kanna said the second signature Healthy Living event will take place on Feb. 28 on the campus of the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital in Kapaa.
Source: The Garden Island
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