Canoe Plant Bingo and BBQ

There are nearly 30 canoe plants, including turmeric. Daniel Lane photo.

On Saturday, September 10, from 5 to 8 p.m., Malama Kauai will host a Canoe Plant Bingo and BBQ at Hanai Market, located in the old Kojima Store in downtown Kapaa. Proceeds will benefit the Farm-To-School Lunch Program at Kawaikini Public Charter School in Lihue.

Bingo cards are a $1 donation, and participants can win prizes such as gift certificates, jewelry, activity passes and more from local businesses including Kauai Beer Company, Hawaii Reef Guides, Olympic Cafe, Oasis on the Beach, Studio Barre & Soul, Kauai Marriott Resort, Aloha Aina Juice Cafe and much more. Locally sourced food will be prepared by Hanai’s culinary team, including Chef Adam Watten.

Since losing its school food vendor when Lanakila Kitchen closed in 2015, Kawaikini has had no consistent lunch program to provide its students. This also means that students cannot use their reimbursements for free or reduced lunch through the National School Lunch Program, causing hardship for some families.

Last school year there was an interim lunch program, where the students were provided low-cost meals twice per week, which included donated produce from Malama Kauai, Moloaa Organicaa, and other farms. Meals were prepared by Aunty Lorna Poe, who has three grandchildren at the school. Students are also provided fresh fruits and vegetables for snacks through the Village Harvest gleaning program.

“We are actively seeking a new food program vendor,” says Samuel Kaauwai, Principal at Kawaikini NCPCS. “Because of the low reimbursement rate and smaller budget we have, it’s been difficult to find a vendor willing to provide meals three days a week when they know they won’t make a large profit. We’re hopeful that the right person will come along or that we can raise more funding to incentivize someone to kokua (help).”

Those who cannot make the event but would still like to donate to the program can mail donations to Malama Kauai, ATTN: Kawaikini Lunch, PO Box 1414, Kilauea, HI 96754 or donate online at www.malamakauai.org. For more info contact Malama Kauai Youth & Food Programs VISTA, Sara Hopps, at sara@malamakauai.org or 828-0685 x18.