WAIMEA — Through the collaboration of caring parents, Waimea Elementary School’s Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO) began planning their first fall festival this past summer. The event, to be held Nov. 20, is aimed to raise much-needed funds for basic items such as extra supplies, STEM projects goods and positive behavior rewards that teachers can use in the classroom.
Appropriately called WE Ohana, the event will be held at Thelma Parker Gym and the adjacent gravel parking lot from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Activities will include game booths, raffles, a silent auction, vendor booths and food and beverages.
“We thank Waimea Elementary administration, Mr. Tamura and his staff, for working with us and supporting our idea to ensure that we can bring this festival to fruition,” Colene DeMello said, WE’s PTSO secretary. “Our first year, if we raise a few thousand dollars it can go a long way focusing on ‘in-classroom’ efforts. Our teachers put a lot into their classrooms personally and PTSO wants to assist them where we can.”
Teachers and volunteers for grades K-5 will man the booths. Many of the game arcades have been built by the students.
“The pride that these students are putting into making these fun games will be awesome for them, especially if their game is the ‘most-played’ game there. We’d love to see that type of support for these kids,” DeMello said.
The auction will include a gift basket from Waikoloa Beach Resort, ATV rides, gift cards, teachers reading time and lunch breaks with kids prizes, and vendor items such as handmade jewelry by Kuulaniopuu Designs, shortbread cookies from Tavares Tasty Treats, LulaRoe with Alana Matsuoka, Tupperware Love with Marvalee Akau, Thirty-One Bags with Marites Fudala, Origami Owl with Derice Padilla and Rodan & Fields with Rachelle Ducosin.
To donate prizes or volunteer: Contact Tim Sheehy at timsheehy11@gmail