Group says thousands attend Hawaii hospice fundraiser
Former flight attendants with what used to be Pan American World Airways said thousands of people turned out for an annual fundraiser they organize to raise money for St. Francis Hospice.
Organizers told KITV-TV that people were already lined up by 6 a.m. Sunday to get into the event they called, “Not Your Ordinary Garage Sale.”
The annual garage, held this year at a high school, is run by World Wings International-Hawaii, a group of former flight attendants who once worked for the now-defunct airline.
An estimated 5,000 bargain hunters showed up to take advantage of deals in items including electronics, stuffed animals, toys, jewelry and clothing, and even some Pan Am memorabilia, according to World Wings International-Hawaii vice president and fundraising chairwoman, Betty Santoki.
“It’s like camaraderie. You know, Pan Am brought us together and World Wings is keeping us together,” she said.
It’s not clear how much money was raised for the hospice during Sunday’s event, but the group hopes to have surpassed the $11,000 it raised last year.
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“We stood in line for about three quarters of an hour, but it’s worth it, worth it. Lots of stuff. Lots of stuff to pick from,” said bargain hunter Ena Fukumoto.
Located in Honolulu, St. Francis Hospice works and provides services for the terminally ill. It was Hawaii’s first and is its largest hospice program, according to its website.
