By Gwen DeCoito
Special to the Herald
For a second year, east Hawaii island parishes donated the ingredients to make Christmas Day lunches for more than 100 residents of HOPE Services shelters in Pahoa and Hilo.
HOPE Services is the non-profit social ministry affiliate of the Diocese of Honolulu that serves the Big Island homeless population.
This year, HOPE received from Mana Silva Construction a generous donation of turkeys, which were delivered to Malia Puka O Kalani Church in Hilo and Sacred Heart Church in Pahoa, where parishioners of both parishes prepared them. The Hilo team was led by Robyn Riedel, Greer McKeen and Michael Tallett, the Pahoa team by Jan Malinowski and Bernice Walker.
The balance of the meals, which included rice, corn and bottles of water, were donated by the parishioners of East Hawaii Parishes. The Eddie Aguiar family donated dessert — a sheet cake.
A total of 108 hot, delicious lunches were delivered shortly after noon on Christmas Day to Kihei Pua Shelter for women and children, Hale Maluhia Shelter, Keolahou Emergency Shelter, Hale Kulike and Sacred Heart micro-shelters.