The University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu’s Turkey Trot bolstered efforts to combat student basic needs insecurity, collecting hundreds of donated clothing and food items for the UH West Oʻahu Basic Needs Pantry.
“It was great to see that this idea I had to establish better awareness for our food vault using the Turkey Trot came true,” said Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Coordinator Ryan Perreira.
The event across campus pathways on November 24, drew 54 student participants and 29 faculty and staff participants. Together, they contributed to the estimated 400 units of donations, which included 304 non-perishable food items, 108 clothing items, and 13 bags of rice. The event’s co-organizer, student lead Kelly Akana, said the turnout showed how committed students, faculty and staff are to wellness and supporting their campus community.
“Our main goal for the Turkey Trot was to create a fun and active way for our UH West Oʻahu community to come together while supporting local families in need,” Akana said. “With the holidays often being a challenging time to stay active and prioritize health, we wanted this event to encourage wellness while giving back.”
Perreira said after such strong participation in the Turkey Trot, it could become a recurring event. For more information about UH West Oʻahu’s student basic needs efforts and resources, email imwest@hawaii.edu or uhwobn@hawaii.edu.
More photos from the event are on Flickr.
For more visit Ka Puna O Kaloʻi.
—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman
