There is so much to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day, 2014. Today, family and friends will gather across our state and nation to celebrate and enjoy a great meal of turkey, stuffing, and all the fixin’s. For some, that meal will not happen. It's sad, but true for many residents and their ohana who will go hungry.
I am so grateful for having the opportunity as a community service volunteer from the Rotary Club of Pearlridge (RCOP) to lend a hand to make a difference at the annual Aiea High School Interact Club Food Drive held on Saturday, November 22, at Times Supermarket in Aiea.
Aiea H.S. Interact Club students teamed up with a group of RCOP volunteers to collect food and cash donations from shoppers that will benefit the Hawaii Foodbank's efforts to provide food and nourishment for Hawaii's needy during the Holiday season.
As a Pearl City resident, and current RCOP board member, I feel blessed for the opportunity to have joined fellow RCOP board members in Aiea in support of the Aiea H.S. Interact Club's commitment to serve the community via community service projects and unique partnership with the RCOP that strives to instill the principals of Rotary International's 4-WAY TEST:
IS IT THE TRUTH?
IS IT FAIR TO ALL CONCERNED?
WILL IT BUILD GOODWILL AND BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
WILL IT BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL CONCERNED?
It was truly a humbling experience on Saturday as non-perishable food donations from Times shoppers quickly filled all the food donation boxes. A steady stream of cash and check donations flowed in as well throughout the four hour food drive that ran from 8am – 12pm. The generosity and support from the community was overwhelming.
This year, the Aiea Interact students made a goal of collecting over 1000 lbs. of food donations to surpass last year's total. The Hawaii Foodbank will announce the total weight of the food donations collected and the total from monetary donations made on Saturday.
Mahalo to both the Aiea High School Interact Club and the Rotary Club of Pearlridge for their collective efforts to reach out to Hawaii's hungry through donations made to the Hawaii Foodbank.
A special mahalo to all who gave from their hearts!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
MAHALO!
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Aiea High School Interact Club students pictured promoting their food drive
near the entrance to the Aiea Shopping Center on Saturday, November 22, 2014
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Pearlridge Rotarian Rick Lau sorts canned food donations while an
Aiea H.S. Interact Club student passes on another cash donation made
by Aiea Shopping Center shoppers near the entrance to Times Supermarket.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Another donation of canned tuna made to the Aiea H.S. Interact Club by a generous shopper.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Rotary Club of Pearlridge community service volunteers who helped out at the Aiea High School
Interact Club Food Drive on Sunday, November 23, 2014 at Times Supermarket in Aiea.
(sitting, L-R), Loretta Pang, Ed Kido. (standing, L-R), Dick Mosko, Charlene Ikeda, Rick Lau,
and RCOP President, Greg Arakaki. (not pictured), Ralph Portmore, Linda Tsark, Barry Villamil.