Senate Majority Caucus

The 16th Annual Children and Youth Day returns to the grounds of the Hawaii State Capitol, Washington Place, the King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center, the Hawaii State Public Library Grounds, Kalanimoku Building, Department of Health Miller Street Parking Lot, Punchbowl  Street, and the Frank F. Fasi Civic Center.

Date:   Sunday, October 4, 2009
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

FREE PARKING will be available at all neighboring State and County public parking lots.

The event’s primary sponsors are McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii, Hawaii Children’s Trust Fund, the Star Bulletin/Midweek, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The State of Hawaii, City & County of Honolulu, Heather’s Inflatables, Hawaii Tents and Events and over 200 additional businesses and organizations are also providing substantial support.

Over 200 exhibitors and community organizations will offer free interactive, educational and fun activities for the whole family under the “Big Top” tents and on the grounds surrounding the Capitol, including:

• Sports, Games, and Rides: Ground Golf, soccer playing, inflatable bouncers for the keiki, Cyclone Swing, Giant Slide, Train Rides, Fire Truck Ride, Horse Carousel, “The Wild One” Obstacle Course, Hawaii’s Largest Mobile Rock Wall, Rope a Phobia
• Demonstrations and Tournaments: Aerospace activities (State Capitol Chambers) , Yu-Gi-Oh Tournament (bring your cards to Conference Rooms 325 and 329 at the State Capitol), Aloha Milk Caps Slam-O-Rama Tournament in Conference Room 309 and State Capitol Rotunda, and mixed martial arts demonstrations with Egan Inoue on the Frank F. Fasi Civic Center grounds;
• Hands on Arts & Cultural Activities: Craft making, lauhala weaving, Hawaiian storytelling, and other activities at Iolani Palace Grounds provided by halaus, Friends of Iolani Palace and the Mission Houses Museum;

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State Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland, District 13, members of the Hawaii State Legislature, and The Office Depot Foundation are pleased to announce that the following schools and organizations have been chosen to receive backpacks containing essential school supplies as part of the Foundation’s Ninth Annual National Backpack Program in partnership with the National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL):

Kaunakakai
Hana
Lanai
St. Theresa
Pauoa Elementary
Kalihi Waena
Kaiulani
Kaewai Schools
Auwaiolimu (Papakolea) Congregational Church
Congregational Church of Wahiawa
Waikane Congregational Church
Waimanalo Congregational Church
Ewa Beach Boys and Girls Club
Lighthouse Out Reach Program

There will be a gathering on Thursday, 13 August 2009 at 9:00 a.m. at the Hawaii State Capitol, in front of the auditorium, where a formal presentation of the backpacks will occur.

“This is an extremely beneficial program,” said Chun Oakland. “I am honored that members of the Legislature have the opportunity to present these backpacks to deserving students.  As we have seen the economy fluctuate over the last year, many parents have struggled to figure out how they will be able to purchase supplies for their children.  As another school year begins, public-private partnerships like this are even more important. As Hawaii’s NFWL Education Team Leader, I must commend the Office Depot Foundation on its efforts to make children’s lives easier when it comes to having basic school supplies, which many of us take for granted.”

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by Senator Suzanne Chun-Oakland and Rep. Dennis Arakaki, co-convenors of the Hawaii State Legislature’s Keiki Caucus

One of the key responsibilities of Hawaii’s lawmakers is caring for the children of our island home, ensuring that they grow up in the kind of environment that will allow them to take their place as leaders of the futrue. That responsibilitiy extends to a number of areas, including education, child welfare, youth development, and health care. The 1994 state legislature and Governor John Waihee, officially established the Keiki Caucus in recognition of our responsibility toward generations to come.

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