Exploring a bigger world

Disadvantaged kids from the Big Island get a rare chance to explore on Oahu

When an airplane lifted seven children from the Big Island up through the clouds toward Honolulu, the awestruck youngsters asked their chaperone, "Are we out of the world?"

Last Thursday's airplane ride was the first for many. And none of them, ages 8 to 12, had ever visited the big city on Oahu.

These seven who traveled to Honolulu are just a few of many kids participating in some of the 40 programs through Child and Family Service (CFS), the state's largest and oldest human services agency.

CFS helps children who are victims of sexual abuse, living with foster parents or in transitional homes, or residing with biological parents struggling with any number of issues, such as extricating themselves from contentious relationships.

Volunteer members of the CFS Guild organized the special outing to expose this particular group of kids to a life outside of Hilo or Puna, where they reside, and give them a day unlike any other they've experienced.

Two years ago, volunteers arranged and paid for a group of Molokai children to visit Honolulu for the day. It was such a success that they decided to do it again with youngsters from a different island.

"I would love to be able to bring more kids," said Winnie Tamaye, a CFS home-reach counselor who helped chaperone the trip from the Big Island. Those who earned the privilege of traveling were "the first ones who brought in their permission slips, but probably the ones who didn't bring in their permission slips need the exposure more."

The guild raised money to pay for the airline tickets and solicited in-kind contributions from restaurants and museums to fund the rest of the adventure.

After breakfast at Kakaako Kitchen, the group visited the Children's Discovery Center, where they investigated other cultures in a variety of exhibits. Then they strolled through Waikiki to Duke's for lunch. Two years ago nothing fascinated the kids more than the escalators. This year, the sights and sounds of Waikiki Beach were the biggest attraction.

Later, they toured the Honolulu Zoo, historic sites and the Bishop Museum, finishing just in time to return to the airport for a flight home.

Kalissa, 9, especially liked the zoo, where she saw a giraffe, hippo, alligator and crocodile for the first time.

Toward the end of the day, Melissa, 12, seemed to remember everything she had learned along the way, including each hands-on activity she experienced at the Children's Discovery Center, the names of the zoo animals, which ones get along and what the zoo keepers need to do to keep peace among them.

"For a lot of them, this is their only exposure to anything outside their own communities," said Dan Watanabe, who works in CFS's development office.

Several guild members who participated in the day-long jaunt said they hoped to do this every year -- even twice a year, if one group could originate on Oahu. "But we need to get more sources of funding," said volunteer Jill MacMillan.

New CFS Hawaii President Howard Garval agreed. He recently moved from Connecticut, where he was the CEO of the Village, a child welfare operation focusing on prevention and treatment. He's been on the job here a short time -- only since April 17 -- but his professional life has revolved for 31 years around helping children.

His goals include building a strong leadership team from within the organization and attracting more private revenue, he explained while eating fried rice at Kakaako Kitchen with a few of his Big Island clients. The government currently supplies more than 80 percent of CFS's $33 million annual budget. This pays 800 staff members and funds 40 programs on all islands to strengthen families, serve seniors and ensure the well-being of children.

After posing for a group portrait with the kids, Garval said allowing them to see that "there's a bigger world than their island is an incredible, powerful thing to do."

Before the children arrived, guild members had stocked individual fanny packs with goodies, including a disposable camera. At the end of the trip, they developed the photos, put them in albums and sent them back to the children to stimulate discussions and elicit fond memories.

A lot of these kids "have seen what we shouldn't see as adults," said Tamaye. But everyone hoped a short break and some new experiences would make a difference down the road.