CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Salvation Army Capt. Dwayne Patterson and Battalion
Fire Chief Warren Ho carried turkeys at the annual
Salvation Army Thanksgiving dinner yesterday at the
Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall. The first turkeys
were carried by police and fire officers in honor
of the heroes of the Sept. 11 attacks.

First-time
volunteerism sparked
by terror attacks

The tragedy helped some
appreciate their blessings

---

By B.J. Reyes
breyes@starbulletin.com

Like many of her fellow volunteers, Olive Souza had never before served Thanksgiving meals to those less fortunate.

But in the climate that has been created in the aftermath of Sept. 11, Souza said the decision to help others this year was an easy one.

"Since Sept. 11, I've begun to appreciate and really understand how really blessed I have been," the 68-year-old Kailua woman said yesterday during a break at River of Life Mission. "I have such a very full life. I'm quite blessed and it's nice to give back.

"It gives me a better appreciation of humanity."

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kascy Nakama, above, of halau Hula o Namaka Ulali
danced at yesterday's annual Salvation Army
Thanksgiving dinner at the Blaisdell Center
Exhibition Hall.

The spirit of volunteerism was alive and well at River of Life Mission, where dozens of people turned out to serve about 780 dinners to seniors and the needy, organizers said.

Most of those helping out were doing so for the first time.

"Almost everybody you see," said Tracy Clay, night operations manager for River of Life. "Out of 100 and some volunteers, there's only maybe 10 to 20 regulars."

The mission even had to turn some volunteers away.

"Actually, we need volunteers during the rest of year, but Thanksgiving and Christmas, we always have enough," Clay said.

With memories of the terrorist attacks still fresh and the resulting economic impact being felt across the country, one way President Bush has urged Americans to defy terrorism is by strengthening their communities through volunteerism and charity.

For volunteers like 14-year-old Kenji Saito, serving meals at the mission did not really seem like work.

"It's fun," he said. "You're helping people and knowing you're doing something good for people who need help."

KEN SAKAMOTO / KSAKAMOTO@STARBULLETIN.COM
At left, Roxanne and Bert Bustamante, holding son
Elijah-Noah and daughter Meagan, were left homeless
by fire last week but helped their Aunty Nami Kama
feed the homeless yesterday at Blaisdell Park. Community
donations of clothes, money and furniture have poured
in to help the Ewa Beach couple, who have 10 children.

Like Souza and Saito, yesterday also was the first time Mary Kawainui and her daughters, Heather, 15, and Amber, 12, had helped serve Thanksgiving meals.

"We just wanted to give back to the community -- being grateful for what we have," said Kawainui, 37, of Waipahu.

She added that Sept. 11 had a lot to do with her decision to help this year.

"For me it's more about my family and really responding and helping other people in need," she said.

For Souza yesterday's effort probably was not her last volunteer work.

"This has truly been an experience of a lifetime," she said. "Their mission here and their purpose here is so needed throughout humanity.

"It cannot help but touch your heart to be a part of this."