By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Pat Klem volunteers at the Community Clearinghouse,
which five years ago helped her and her two children.
"It forever changes you," she said. "When somebody does
something for you ... it can transform you."

Today, five years after her brush with the bottom, Klem is hooked on helping.

She's a volunteer with the Community Clearinghouse, the same agency that came through for her during a Christmas season she says she'll never forget.

Klem and her two young children fled a tragic marriage with a few pieces of clothing and not much else. The pain of a breakup and a growing dread of an uncertain future hung heavy in their crowded North Shore room.

No money. Little hope. A few days before Christmas, Klem was down and almost out.

"I woke up one morning and realized the kids weren't going to have anything for Christmas," she recalled, her eyes clouding. "There was very little money coming in. That was the toughest thing."

Then she opened her door to a stranger and daylight came pouring in. The visitor brought a festive holiday meal, brightly wrapped packages for the children, 8 and 6, and a newfound resolve when she needed it most.

"It forever changes you," said Klem. "You're not angry about what's happened. The love changes you. When somebody does something for you that you weren't strong enough to do for yourself, it can transform you. It can be real significant."

"I love it," she said. "It's chaos. You're treasure hunting for people who really need it. I'm the master treasure hunter. You know what they say, out of chaos comes creativity. That's the perfect arena for me."

Chaos is an apt description of the small warehouse at the Kapalama Military Reservation that is the Community Clearinghouse. But it's chaos that hums with purpose.

It's a daunting undertaking. Requests for key household necessities outnumber donations during the best of times.

This year, flooding in Waianae, the traditional Christmas push and a chilly economic climate have Clearinghouse director Mariellen Byrnes-Jones worried.

"It's a bad year," she said. "But traditionally I've found that when things are at their worst economically, people give the most. And I find that the people who really respond are the ones who it hurts the most to give. I know it's a tough year. But I'm believing people will be there."

She said the Clearinghouse is in desperate need of baby items, appliances, household linens, extra-large adult clothes, childrens' clothes, silverware, pots, pans, new toys and batteries. Byrnes-Jones said she has very few new toys to include in Christmas packages for isle youngsters. Also needed are garbage bags and masking tape to fill the orders.

To make matters worse, there are 150 families on Paakea Street in Waianae who lost most of their possessions in recent flooding. They need food, clothing and just about anything it takes to run a household, said Theola Silva of Honolulu Community Action Program. All can be donated to the Community Clearinghouse.

"We're all needy at one time or another, at one level or another," Klem noted. "We all need to learn to give."

Checks can be sent to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin's Good Neighbor Fund, P.O. Box 2019, Aiea, 96701. Or you can donate items at the Community Clearinghouse in Building 914 at the Kapalama Military Reservation.

To get there, take Nimitz Highway and turn on Sand Island Access Road.

The Kapalama Military Reservation is on the left, about a half-mile beyond Kilgo's.

Other drop-off locations include the Kaimuki YMCA; the Richards Street YWCA; the Windward YMCA; The Military Shop; Wyland Galleries at Beachwalk and Kalakaua, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, in Haleiwa and at Aloha Tower Marketplace; Windward Toyota; McDonald's at the Windward City Shopping Center; Fast Lube in Wahiawa; Schuler Homes; Waikele Single Family in Waipahu; Westview at Makakilo Heights; and Imua Shop Polynesia in Kahuku.