Giveaway Hits Fifth Year

By Jack Kiyonaga | Community Reporter

Photo by Jack Kiyonaga.

This past Friday and Saturday at the Lanikeha Community Center in Ho`olehua, Edee Silva of Oahu and the Hui Malama Ohana organization, founded by Silva and her husband, put on another successful giveaway. For the fifth year, Silva and her team have worked to bring a 40-foot container full of donations from Oahu to Molokai. 

The biggest change this year? “We brought a lot of new stuff this time,” says Silva.

This year, each family gets one big item ticket to try to win new TVs, bikes, rice pots and more. Also, each family gets up to 10 tickets and 15 minutes to choose from a huge selection of clothes, shoes, cooking equipment and furniture, among others. 

In addition to Silva’s Hui Malama Ohana organization, the event is put on by Molokai Veterans Caring for Veterans, Molokai Homestead Farmers Alliance, and lots and lots of other local volunteers, including Sen. Lynn DeCoite.  

“The people are amazing,” says Silva. “The kupuna have been helping us.” 

This year, without the covid restrictions of the last couple giveaways, Silva and her team are extra busy with long lines at the door.  

“It’s really hard work,” Silva acknowledges, “but now we’re starting to see how the work pays off.” 

“Thankful for the blessing,” one volunteer said when describing what the giveaway means to her. 

Silva has no plans of stopping the giveaway anytime soon but says that next year will probably be in a new location due to scheduled renovations at the Lanikeha Community Center.