Kailua Fourth of July Parade

What did you do this Fourth of July? Well we here at Ho’ola Na Pua spent our holiday morning walking in the Kailua Fourth of July Parade. While over eighty other organizations were represented, Ho’ola Na Pua stood with perhaps one of the most eye-catching floats.

Our float consisted of a floral arrangement of tropical flowers and leaves on a large truck with two Ho’ola Na Pua banners posted on each side. Volunteers came together the two days before to donate supplies and build the beautiful float. Mahalo to the volunteers and Roz and Pastor Luke Welch for helping with designing the truck decorations.

The sun was blazing, but Ho’ola Na Pua staff and volunteers were already prepared with nearly five-hundred water bottles labeled with HNP stickers. Mahalo to Mrs. Hawaii Kelly Kitashima for the water bottle donations. Community Outreach Manager Tammy Bitanga said, “It was our first Kailua Fourth of July Parade and it was really fun to get out there and bring awareness to the community about sex trafficking. It’s awesome to see that the support was positive. Next year we might even have hula dancers with our float!”

Jade Yim Pham

July 04, 2016