Rummaging for Resources

Aka`ula School parents chip in to raise money.        

By Melissa Kelsey

For many parents on Molokai, working together is a fundamental facet of providing keiki with an excellent education. At Aka`ula School’s Summer Festival last Saturday, families collaborated to earn money to cover the school’s unpaid bills.  

“We needed to raise funds for the kids’ education,” said parent Dean Chow. “All the parents just kind of kicked in.”   

At the Aka`ula School campus at Kualapu`u Center, parents sold ono homemade bread, coconut cream pie, apple pie, lemon pie, shortbread cookies and other baked goods. Visitors enjoyed corn dogs, barbeque chicken plates and fresh coconut drinks. Whole, roasted Rotisserie chickens brought to the island from Sam’s Club sold out before the event was over.   

Chow said families donated possessions from their homes for a rummage sale of clothes, books, dishes, videos and other used household items. Farms and friends of the school contributed plants to the selection of goods for sale. Inside the school, an impromptu gift shop sold pottery, candles and other more expensive items.

Head of School Vicki Newberry said this is the first year Aka`ula School has hosted this type of fundraiser, but the school hopes to repeat the festival in the future.