Shoeboxes Fill Up Fast In Annual Kaneohe Collection Drive

Waiahole Elementary School students demonstrate the can-do attitude that helped their school earn first place in the 2014 Shoeboxes for the Homeless competition. Together, Castle Complex schools filled 1,200 shoeboxes with food, toiletries and essentials for area homeless families. Pictured are (front, from left) Spencer Silva, Jayven Kane, (middle) JoAnna AhNee, Kaye Cacho, (back) Micah Eaton, Cayla Enos and school health aide Chris Sas-Lopes. Photo from John Au.

The eighth annual Shoe-boxes for the Homeless drive in Kaneohe recently united public schoolchildren in an effort that filled 1,200 shoeboxes with useful items for their needy neighbors.

Coordinated by area resident John Au, a finance executive with Chinen & Arinaga, the drive generated a competition of sorts among the 10 schools in the Castle Complex, and all the goods will be distributed in the Windward area.

“Waiahole Elementary was the first-place winner for 2014 with a remarkable student-to-shoebox ratio of 217 percent,” Au said. School health aide Chris Sas-Lopes organized the drive for the tiny school, and the reward was $500 cash “for their extraordinary efforts,” he noted.

Kaneohe Elementary took second with its 500 shoe-boxes, organized by Tara Sakauye, and won $250. Puohala Elementary was third, monitored by Carol Pa’ao’ao, and won $125.

“All the schools in the Castle Complex are winners,” Au added, “because even with all the demands to improve student achievement, they took the time to help the less fortunate in our Windward community, resulting in building stronger student character.”

Cynthia Okazaki and Christine Hanakawa of Kaneohe Community Family Center partnered with Au in his annual community project.