Tickets Ready Now For Annual Habilitat Luau At King School

Habilitat’s 12th annual luau, auction and concert is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 2 at King Intermediate School to support the nonprofit’s substance abuse programs and initiatives.

A home-cooked, eight-course Hawaiian feast is planned, along with a plethora of prizes, and a live auction with professional auctioneer Joe Teipel for vacations, sporting goods, art, furniture, musical instruments and electronics.

Hawaii’s Rebel Souljahz, new reggae artist K’Nova and longtime supporter Sistah Robi Kahakalau will sing. Tahitian and Hawaiian hula also are booked.

“Over the course of our 40 years serving the community we’ve always had very large fundraisers,” said public relations representative Mike Casady. “The first year was a big success, and we’ve been running this since, raising a lot of money for the program.”

Tickets cost $35 for adults, $15 for keiki; group rates are $85 for three adults or $85 for two adults and two keiki. Call 235-3691.

The 30-month program at the Kaneohe rehabilitation facility focuses not only on substance abuse issues, but also on modifying residents’ behavior, helping them to gain motivation and to more productive community citizens.

“We have vocational entities here in the program, so we are very self-reliant,” added Casady, a Habilitat resident himself. “Residents at the same time are not only in the program bettering their life, but are actually learning a trade along with it. Habilitat residents work in the community in the landscaping, home remodeling and tile flooring fields, just to name a few.

“Some of the changes I’ve seen are definitely a sense of waking up in the morning being motivated, looking forward to the day and not to the drug itself, taking pride in what I do, staying accountable and responsible for my mistakes.”

Habilitat also is one of Oahu’s top Christmas tree distributors, raising money by supplying hotels, resorts and residents with many tree choices.