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by Joy Groenleer, Envoy –
A 70-year-old man dressed in dirty shorts and a t-shirt walked into the Kokua Soup Kitchen today, six hours after we served lunch. He obviously hadn’t taken a bath for a few days and hadn’t combed his hair in a while. Focusing on his appearance and assuming he was here looking for a meal, I informed him that we served dinner on Tuesdays instead of Thursdays. With a smile, he immediately told me that he actually wasn’t here for dinner, but instead wanted to make a donation toward the relief efforts for Haiti earthquake survivors.
He stated that he is currently a resident of Kalalau (I wasn’t aware that there is a little community of people who live out there), and on his trek back into civilization, he heard about the earthquake in Haiti while listening to his little radio. The sound of people screaming in the background during a newscast drove him to want to do something!
Again, focusing on his appearance, I assumed that he would then give me a 10, no, perhaps a 20 dollar bill.
He put his very heavy (and very dirty) backpack on the floor and proceeded to take out a check from the bag. He humbly handed over his donation to me—a cashier’s check in the amount of $1,111.00.
What a humbling experience!
Following this donation, the Lihue Corps held a car wash fundraiser, and we surpassed our goal of an additional $1,111.00 for Haiti. The total raised was $1,117.27.