Volunteers from the Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island worked together on Christmas Eve to cook, pack and deliver dinners and gifts to eight families around the Big Island.
“We wanted to make a full dinner spread for each household that will last families over the Christmas weekend,” said Chad Cabral, chief executive officer. “We chose families that would not be able to have dinner without our help.”
One of the families was the Davidson family, which last week lost their father and partner, 41-year-old Ben Davidson, to gun violence.
“Most people heard about this tragedy, and it really hit us,” Cabral said. “We wanted to dedicate the day to them and do this small gesture for them for the holidays.”
When hearing that the Boys & Girls Club was delivering gifts and dinners to families, first responders at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home donated toys and gift cards to help supplement other gifts.
“Over the summer, we donated meals to the front-line workers, and now they’re giving back to us,” Cabral said. “This truly is a community effort today.”
After cooking and packing multiple vehicles, volunteers drove through Hilo, Pahoa, Ka‘u, Ocean View and South Kona to deliver the feasts and gifts to the families in need.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com