Lawai Cannery Self Storage & Warehousing in Kalaheo, Hawaii, hosted a garage sale on July 12 to benefit the Kauai Special Olympics (KSO), the local chapter of Special Olympics, a nonprofit that provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The proceeds will benefit KSO’s 115 athletes, according to Jocelyn Barriga, area coordinator. Lawai Cannery Self Storage also provides KSO with storage space, said facility spokesperson Lorna Santos.
Despite rain and humid weather, the garage sale had a good turnout, the source reported. Special Olympic athlete Chaunci Cummings and her coaches manned a booth at the event, which also included food vendors. Cummings is the only athlete from Kauai, Hawaii, to participate in the Special Olympics World Games, July 25 to Aug. 2, in Los Angeles. During the state games on Oahu, she earned a silver medal in the 100-meter dash and a gold medal in shotput. Ikaika Morita-Sunada of Oahu, Hawaii, and Isaiah Wong of Kona, Hawaii, will also represent Hawaii at the Games, which will feature athletes from 170 nations competing in 17 sports.
Lawai Cannery Self Storage regularly hosts garage sales to help local charities and other organizations, including one in April that benefited the Kauai Robotics team. The hosting beneficiary coordinates vendors and the sale, Santos said.
KSO relies solely on grants and donations to fund its operation. “We work with between $65,000 to $75,000 a year to operate the program, including getting trophies, awards and shirts for our athletes. We are grateful and appreciative of whatever help we receive,” Barriga said.
Lawai Cannery Self Storage is owned by SuperSpace Storage, which operates 45 facilities in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Texas and Utah.
Sources:
- The Garden Island: Special Olympians Shine in Rain
