ADVERTISER CHRISTMAS FUND
Woman rebuilds life, regains kids
By Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writer
P.Q., a 40-year-old mother of five, has spent the past year learning how to live like a normal adult.
She grew up in a dysfunctional family, moving from there to the streets where she survived by her wits. She then moved from the streets into an abusive relationship, which she endured by drinking and using drugs.
P.Q.'s life plunged to its lowest point when state social workers visited the tent she had built in a friend's carport and took her five children from her.
The children's father was in prison at the time. P.Q. was alone, and the comfort provided by drugs and alcohol had grown cold.
Her children weren't doing well in foster care. They ran away and got into trouble. They needed their mother, and their mother needed to be a mom.
Could a woman who had never lived a normal life do that? P.Q. is proving she can.
"I have 13 months clean and sober," P.Q. said last week. "I'd never been clean and sober for a whole year."
She has completed anger management and parenting classes. She has been in therapy and she attends Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous.
She's provided a home for her children, and her case worker says she keeps it squeaky clean.
To donate, send checks payable to "The Advertiser Christmas Fund" to Helping Hands Hawai'i, P.O. Box 17780, Honolulu, HI 96817. Monetary donations also may be dropped off at any First Hawaiian Bank branch. Goods can be donated at the Community Clearinghouse at 2100 N. Nimitz Highway, near Pu'uhale Road. For details, call 440-3804.
One by one, the state has returned her children to her.
How to help
"This is my chance to make amends," P.Q. said of her children. "Slowly, they are coming around to trust me."'
P.Q. and the kids — girls 17 and 10 and boys 16, 14 and 12 — live on a very tight budget.
Someone gave them an iMac computer, and they'd like to have a printer for it.
A dresser and cookware would help. Gift certificates to allow them to buy toiletries and clothes would be appreciated.
Christmas Fund donations will be used for families who need help making it through the holidays. Any money remaining after the holidays will be used to help those in need throughout the year.
Our anonymous Santa is matching the first $25 of each donation to the Christmas Fund.
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Recent donations to The Advertiser Christmas Fund
- Roy Kuboyama $500
- Thomas J. Vincent Foundation, Inc. $300
- Ormond Hammong & Lesley Agard $100
- From Chun Kerr Dodd Beaman & Wong i Staff & Attorneys $300
- In Memory of Wing Yee & Sam Moi Wee $200
- From: Retired Teachers of Aikahi Elementary School $180
- From the Denton Family in Tucson, Arizona $150
- From Elliott, Erica, Hugh & family $128
- Aloha from Karl K. & Mae Kawahara $125
- Susan M. Killeen $125
- Daphne & Grant $100
- Albert Fujisawa $100
- God Bless You — Suzanne D. Smith $100
- Ralph & Jillian Harris $100
- Hawaii Kai Lions Club $100
- In honor of Jesus Christ $100
- In Memory of Fred K. Kitamura $100
- In Memory of Jacqueline K. Booth Benham $100
- In Memory of Professor Walter L.N. Godin $100
- In Memory of Raymond & Joyce Usui $100
- Virginia Jordan $100
- Martin Kao $100
- Yasuhiko & Tomie
- Kawawaki $100
- Lloyd & Jennie Kimura $100
- Marian Liu-Ray $100
- Victor Meyers $100
- James & Linda Beehler Paul $100
- Shangri-La Realty, Ltd. $100
- John & Helen Tamashiro $100
- Marin & Joyce Uehara $100
- Douglas & Annmarie Walker $100
- From: Kryss, Matthew & Timothy $75
- Reginald Gooding $75
- Howard Corry $50
- Randi & Lt. Col. Robert Creamer $50
- From Mary Ann Anderson in Alexandria, VA $50
- From Mrs. L.B. Hall $50
- In loving Memory of Jim Meyer $50
- In loving memory of Kellie Ann Andrade $50
- In Memory of Fortunato & Susan Jatico $50
- In Memory of Helen & Tony Seidl $50
- In Memory of Koji & Chiyi Sekiya $50
- In Memory of T. Shimabukuro $50
- Tamalyn Nakamoto & Antonio Flores $50
- Janice Parrott $50
- Lt. Col. James Rosenthal $50
- Rosanne Uyehara & Michael von Platen $50
- Dannyt & Janet Young $50
- Thomas & Loretta De La Cruz $40
- Sally Duffield $35
- Clarence Lau $30
- From: Kanoelani Elementary School 4th Grade Class P-1 $26
- Aaron & Nicki $25
- Steve Beaudry $25
- Meredith Burns & Henry Ting $25
- Thomas Cestare $25
- Tom & May Soe Chang $25
- From: LM & PMU $25
- Nolan & Joy Hirai $25
- In Memory of Art & Esther Storhaug $25
- Danny Leung $25
- Donna & Harold Martin $25
- Michael & Frances Nishida $25
- Tatsumi & Ayako Nishimoto $25
- Alma & Donald O'Day $25
- Peter & Julie Ohr $25
- Lucy Pang $25
- Keiki Pang $25
- Enid Pittman $25
- Yotsugi Sakata $25
- Kevin & Katie Takaesu $25
- The C Chings $25
- Chandra Wagatsuma $25
- Dale Yashiki $25
- Bennet Baird $20
- James Edwards II $20
- Annie Kwock & Lynette Chung $20
- Manuel Milan $20
- Dolleen Keola & Kanoe Matsuura $15
- Kenneth & Eulalia Salima $15
- Dolleen & Richard Keola $10
- Tricia Lee Tolentino $10
- Anonymous $300
- Anonymous $125
- Anonymous $100
- Anonymous $100
- Anonymous $100
- Anonymous $100
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- Anonymous $75
- Anonymous $50
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- Anonymous $50
- Anonymous $30
- Anonymous $30
- Anonymous $30
- Anonymous $25
- Anonymous $25
- Anonymous $25
- Anonymous $25
- Anonymous $25
- Hawaii Stone Creations $80
- Total $7,534.00
- Previous total $61,877.44
- Total to date $69,411.44
