Ten thousand dollars was raised by the KEY Project this year to send a local high school student to nursing school. The 500 imu turkeys that generated these scholarship funds also made a profound contribution to the many hands that prepared them and the many mouths that enjoyed them.
The KEY Project is a local community center north of Kaneohe. It was formed to nurture the cultural, environmental and economic well-being of the Kualoa-He’eia area by providing a vitaal, grass-roots resource that serves the needs of its diverse multicultural community. Everyone is invited. This year was the 27th time the massive imu brought together people from many walks of life to participate in a fusion of the Hawaiian tradition of baking meat in the earth with the American tradition of preparing a turkey feast in the spirit of gratitude.
The community is proud that scholarship funds generated from these community events will be dedicated in part to supporting a local high school student to attend nursing school. The KEY Project has separate programs for high school and for intermediate school.
"Each group has their unique needs," says John Rapoon, KEY Project executive director. The facility has additional needs, he adds. A large grant is pending for a big walk-in refrigerator, currently the bottleneck for kitchen services. Another need is to acquire a van, enabling better outreach to those who are unable to leave their homes and to transport those who need assistance to come to the facility for programs and events.
The annual imu event creates quite a buzz and offers many ways to participate. Some elect to purchase a "stress-free" meal online. KEY Project volunteers to purchase the turkey, place it into the imu and have a piping-hot meal with all the fixings ready for pickup on Thanksgiving Day. Most, however, get their own turkey or pork or goose as the case may be, wrap it up in seven layers of tinfoil and drop it off the night before for pickup the next morning.
This year, 40 Marines assisted in the prep of the imu, shifting rocks and cutting kiawe wood. This meant a great deal to the KEY Project community, especially because so many among them have served as active-duty or in the Reserves or National Guard over the years.
Several local schools came to assist in waves. Punahou students helped to bring down banana stalks and leaves, enough to sandwich the baking birds upon the glowing rocks. Whole families often come to watch the process. Hot coals are pulled away; the glowing rocks are leveled with rakes and then the banana stalks are laid in. Human chains pass the numbered turkeys from tables to seasoned volunteers who set the turkeys on the steaming bed. On top of the turkeys go a layer of banana leaves, a layer of ti leaves and then wet burlap and canvas. A large plastic sheet covers the imu. Finally, sandbags are placed on the perimeter to seal in the savory steam as the turkeys cook through the night.
Thanksgiving, many commented, is the one holiday that is really about gratitude and giving. Kudos to the KEY Project and its volunteers for bringing the community together and for sending one of its own to nursing school.
Contact Information: KEY Project, 47-200 Waihee Road, Kaneohe, HI 96744; telephone 239-5777; www.keyproject.org; frontdesk@keyproject.com
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Ira Zunin, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., is medical director of Manakai o Malama Integrative Healthcare Group and Rehabilitation Center and CEO of Global Advisory Services Inc. Please submit your questions to info@manakaiomalama.com.
