Posted at 10:45 a.m., Thursday, June 28, 2001

Thieves steal Headstart fun, but community responds

By Jessica Webster and Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

Patrick Villanueva, left, and his Headstart classmate, Nalua'i Cooper, both 4, play with the only outdoor toys left after thieves stole large pieces of playground equipment from Barbers Point Elementary School grounds. But because of the community's generosity, the school will soon get equipment replacements. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

Thanks to the generosity of the community, youngsters at the private nonprofit Barbers Point Headstart program will get their stolen playground equipment replaced.

Listeners to a morning radio show responded to an Advertiser story today by pledging $2,245 to replace the equipment.

Some children in the school had thought their playground equipment was taken because they were naughty.

That's forced teacher Chanelle Kaneshiro to explain the concept of burglary to the 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds.

"So I think a bad man stole it," said 4-year-old Nalua'i Cooper. "It makes me sad. It was ours. They didn't ask if they could take it."

The children will learn a lesson now about generosity.

"The photo in the paper says it all," said Chris Hart, who co-hosts KRTR FM 96's "Chris & Chris" morning show. "We're saying the kids are playing in the dirt. The general reaction has been great."

One company, Penn Air Group Hawaii, pledged $300, while another, Alii Stor-Mor, is donating $200. Money left over after the purchase of new equipment will be donated to Barbers Point Headstart, which uses two classrooms at Barbers Point Elementary.

"I'm so overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone," Kaneshiro said.

Volunteers from Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kane'ohe Bay will install the equipment after it is purchased, and a Subway outlet at Barbers Point has volunterred to feed the Marines lunch, Hart said.

Two large, colorful plastic jungle gyms with slides and tubes, a merry-go-round and a sandbox were stolen over the weekend from the secluded school on Boxer Road. It was the Headstart's only outdoor play equipment, and probably worth about $1,300.