November 20TH – Kamiloiki Elementary School Picnic Tables-Benches Project

Students at Kamiloiki Elementary School will now enjoy the use of eight bright new, sturdily built picnic tables-benches in their courtyard.  This joint collaboration between the Hawaii Kai Lions and Kamiloiki School included the funding of $2,000 from the school and the expertise and manpower of our Lions in designing, building, and painting the tables. 

Thanks to the leadership of contractor Lion Eric Kvick and his superb carpentry skills, these picnic tables should last for many years to come.  Although it seemed like a rather easy project at the start, the process was lengthy and detailed and required 160 manpower hours.  Forty-eight planks of 14 and 16 feet treated (but wet from the chemicals) lumber were purchased in early October and left to dry under Lion Ken Nishibun’s house for 4 weeks to ensure that the paint would adhere properly.  Lions Eric, Ken, Tom Ono, and Walter Kuroiwa then spent 4 hours cutting, drilling and shaping all of the 200 various pieces needed for the 8 tables.  During the next two weeks, final detailed cutting, assembly, and primer painting was done by Lions Eric and Ken.  Stainless steel bolts and screws were used to withstand the outdoor weather.

On Saturday, November 20, a group of 16 Lions gathered to paint the final coat of “Kamiloiki Blue” on the bottoms and tops of the tables.  Those participating included Jeanne Alices, Silvia Ardila, Silvia’s son Gabriel Ardila who is a Kaiser Leo, Reiko Caires, Cynthia Chun, Ellsworth Fujii, Sandy Gomes, Bill Kern, John Kratochvil, Walter Kuroiwa, Ed Lee, Patrick Lynch, Ken Nishibun, Tom Ono, Appan Subramanian, Allen Umeda.  Lion Ken’s son Travis Nishibun assisted on Friday with transporting the 8 tables from Eric’s house to the school.  Grouped in pairs of old time Lions and newer Lions, the goal was to get more paint on the tables than on themselves.  Thankfully they all met their goal.  All in all, it was a fun day of working, socializing, bonding, and having school provided lunch and refreshments.

Principal Jason Yoshimoto was truly appreciative of the picnic tables and extended his heartfelt Mahalo to the Hawaii Kai Lions Club.  He commented that Lions are such great inspiration for his students to emulate in the area of volunteerism and community service.