Hilo Zonta Chapter Presents $10K to Neighborhood Place of Puna

More than 125 individuals benefited from the “Halloween Madness” event held for individuals at the Neighborhood Place of Puna, organized by the Zonta Club of Hilo, with support from the Harry & Jeannette Weinberg Foundation’s Weinberg Friends Programs.

Jump-starting the event, Hilo Zontians conducted direct work activities that included installing curtain rods and curtains in the NPP’s multipurpose room and creating 20 holiday readiness cleaning buckets and over 200 personal hygiene kits for families in need. Donations of personal care items and costumes were donated prior to the event.

After Zonta’s work session, the non-profit organization held an event that included families with children ranging from infancy to 12-years-old. Together, healthy snacks, including vegetable witches broom and Oreo cookie spiders, were made. Children visited craft stations and ended the event with the selection of one of many Halloween costumes donated by Target Hilo, a donation worth over $400. Lehua Hawai’i Production’s queens and princesses were on hand as volunteers.

“It was the Zonta Club of Hilo’s absolute pleasure to support the good work Neighborhood Place of Puna does to empower area families with knowledge and resources,” said Julie Tulang, event organizer. “Hilo Zontians and volunteers found it very rewarding to be able to interact with the families in the spook-tacular spirit of Halloween.”

The event ended on a sweet note as Zonta Club of Hilo President Tonya Ozone presented NPP Executive Director Paul Norman with a $10,000 grant to support the organization’s “Kamalama Parenting Project,” which provides families with curriculum that leads them to raise healthy children in a safe, stable home environment.