DEAN SENSUI / DSENSUI@STARBULLETIN.COM William Parker and John Dela Cruz, Honolulu Community College carpentry students, measured and cut studs and filler strips yesterday to help repair a temporary home for three Waikiki Health Center programs. HCC is supplying both manpower and materials to deal with the task of making the run-down building habitable.

HCC aids health
center programs

Carpentry students renovate
a temporary home for 3 programs

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By Rosemarie Bernardo
rbernardo@starbulletin.com

Honolulu Community College carpentry students will replace termite-eaten doors, fix water-damaged ceilings, and patch and paint walls to give a temporary new home to three programs of the Waikiki Health Center.

Thirteen students and their instructor provided free labor yesterday and plan to complete renovations to the two-story building at Kuhio Avenue and Kaiolu Street in Waikiki tomorrow.

"The space has been uninhabitable," said director Lynn Becker. "They're being just wonderful."

The Care-a-Van Program, Friendly Neighbors Program and Wellness Program must move from their present site, 417 Launiu St., because their building has been sold. Owners Magoon Estate offered the Kaiolu Street building to the programs, which assist the homeless, elderly and HIV/AIDS patients, until they can find a permanent home.

"After the students graduate, the contractors say they don't have enough work experience," carpentry instructor Jeff Uyeda said.

"I try to give them more work experience in doing these community projects. The students seem enthused in helping others," he said.

"Being able to come out and help out with something that I'm learning and have them benefit from ... It's really good," carpentry student Gloria Garcia said.