Women’s soccer team cooks up delicious breakfast at recovery home
Residents of the Hawai‘i Island Home for Recovery enjoyed a breakfast of pancakes, sausage, spam, eggs, and apples prepped and served by UH Hilo Vulcans.
The University of Hawai‘i at Hilo women’s soccer team prepared and served 35 breakfasts on Saturday for residents at the Hawai‘i Island Home for Recovery. The home is a residential substance abuse treatment facility.
“It was a great way to give back to the community and bond as a team at the same time,” says the team’s coach Gene Okamura. “We are grateful to be able to lend a hand to this amazing organization.”
The nine Vulcans and Coach Okamura began the breakfast preparation at 8:00 a.m. Residents enjoyed a breakfast of pancakes, sausage, spam, eggs, and apples. The effort was coordinated in part by the Rotary Club of Hilo as one of its many community service projects.
“What a great example of leadership and teamwork that these athletes are showing by helping to prepare meals for the residents of the HIHFR,” says Rotary member Wally Wong. “It is an inspiration to all, knowing that UH Hilo has created an opportunity for their students to serve in their community during this pandemic.”
The soccer team, along with all other student-athletes at UH Hilo and in the Pacific West Conference, are on hold right now because of COVID-19. During a month in which they would normally be practicing and playing matches, they aren’t allowed any soccer activity. The hope is they can play matches after the first of the 2021 year.