Nearly 100 keiki ranging from ages 3 to 15 celebrated the Christmas spirit during the Hamakua Christmas Carnival earlier this month.
The event was co-sponsored by the Hilo Community Policing Section and the Hawaii County Parks and Recreation Department.
The community event, which was held on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Papaikou Gymnasium, included games for children of all ages, jumping castles and slides prepared by the Kaapuni Ohana.
Community policing officers interacted with attendees, providing an informal way for area residents to get to know their district officers while celebrating the holiday season. The Hawaii Police Activities League, or HI-PAL, also donated prizes to the winners of the games.
Police would like to thank the various organizations that helped contribute to the event’s success, including Parks and Rec, the Kaapuni family, Team Hilo Prospects, Kekelaokalani, Vibrant Hawaii, Café 100, KTA Super Stores, Sunbelt and Kozmic Cones.
Community organizations interested in hosting a HI-PAL event in their area should contact the Community Policing Section at (808) 961-8849.