Bright and early on a recent Saturday, 26 members of the Rotary Club of Hilo Bay arrived at the Children’s Justice Center of East Hawaii in Hilo to accomplish a long list of facility maintenance items.
Joined by several Rotarians from other Hilo clubs and volunteers, the center became a beehive of activity. As a result of the hard work, the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of East Hawaii, a nonprofit that partners with the center, will receive a $10,000 check from the Weinberg Foundation, a double blessing.
“Our job list was a long one,” said Chester Cabral, chairman for the workday event.
Cabral said club members painted the kitchen, main bathroom, hallway, alcove, front porch, two front doors and the porch floor. Cleaning also was a priority, including washing windows and screens and power-washing sidewalks and stairs along with the 2-foot stone wall and public sidewalk in front of the center.
“We also cleared weeds on top of the stonewall, washed and sanitized all the plastic keiki toys and helped organize the enclosed garage that the Friends use to store children’s clothing needed for abused children who are removed from their home situation,” said Dale Tokuuke, club president. “We had to come back another day that offered sun and not rain to finish all the work on the front porch.”
The Rotary Club of Hilo Bay was happy to award the $10,000 check from the Weinberg Foundation to the Friends “who see to the needs of identified children of abuse,” Tokuuke said.
“Paying for a child’s hula lessons, a laptop for a foster care graduating senior, providing clothing for emergency needs of children removed from their home … all these ‘small’ things that the Friends can do with that check can make a huge difference in an abused child’s life,” Tokuuke said.
For more information about the club, visit www.hilobayrotary.com.