24 volunteers returns to Kalihi Elementary School for a fun day of games and turkey at the school's annual Turkey Trot.
On Monday, November 21, 2022, four Rotary clubs from Hawai'i Rotary District 5000 joined forces with Kalihi Elementary School for the school's annual activity, “Turkey Trot.”
Turkey Trot is an annual event put together by the teachers and staff of Kalihi Elementary School with fun activities for the students. The school wide-event that's split up into two sessions is emceed by Principal Will Grindell, who dresses up as a turkey each year.
Since 2018, with a break in 2020, the Rotary Club of Hickam Pearl Harbor has supported this event by providing volunteers and donating two pies and two turkeys that gets raffled off to four very lucky students.
This year, there were over 20 volunteers that joined the fun from the Rotary Clubs of Hickam Pearl Harbor, Honolulu Sunrise, Pearl Harbor, Metro, and community partner, Dynamic Healing Center with the support of Dr. Annie Anderson, Dr. Tony Arellano and others.
The games were chosen by teachers during the planning process, where RotaryHPH member, Allen Kamemoto, who represented the club during meetings at the school. Volunteers had a brief orientation with the principal before the festivities began and then moved to the field for game time.
Games included tug of war, bean bag toss and Portuguese horseshoes, basket ball, scooter race, parachute play and water balloon station.
Students were laughing, high-fiving, and having a great time with classmates, staff, and community partners. In between the sessions, lunch was provided to the volunteers by the Rotary Club of Hickam Pearl Harbor which offered a time for fellowship between all of the volunteers.
At Kalihi Elementary School, Principal Grindell expressed his gratitude for the volunteers. The support from community partners demonstrates a high commitment to strengthening the Kalihi community and provides a good example for students.
The Rotary Club of Hickam Pearl Harbor is excited to return in 2023.
