By Touynda Smith P ’22, ’24
Over the summer, White Elephant (WE) student division heads, Gabbie Gonzales ’24, Colby Kurasaki ’24, Seung Min Ham ’24 and Julia Leong ’24, shifted into gear and worked tirelessly in preparation for the big race. The WE pit crew held numerous donation drives and collected and sorted several thousand pounds of donations given by generous donors within the Punahou community. The student division heads received help from their classmates and parents. Everyone came together for one common goal: to help fund an amazing education and give students, who could not otherwise afford it, a chance to embrace the Punahou experience. Proceeds from White Elephant sales support Punahou’s Financial Aid program.
The White Elephant division is made up of five sections: clothing, housewares, toys, books and treasures. Student division heads volunteer alongside parent volunteers. This creates avenues for parents to find meaningful involvement by guiding students and helping them thrive in leadership roles. Both parent and student WE volunteers came together to select items for the annual White Elephant Halloween Sale. They sorted, priced and set up Halloween costumes and decorations, textbooks and Buff ’n Blue attire. Thanks to the very supportive Punahou community, the sale was a huge success!
Volunteering with Carnival was something I intended to do when I began my journey as a Punahou parent as its purpose resonates with me. Volunteering is a way for me to support my daughters and other Punahou students. Collaborating with both student and parent volunteers acknowledges the importance of being part of the broader community.
On behalf of the White Elephant pit crew, we give a big thank you to all of the student and parent volunteers. We also thank all those within the Punahou community who supported us by donating to and visiting our Halloween Sale and the upcoming Holiday Sale.
If you missed the first pit stop, don’t worry! There’s another opportunity to refuel at the upcoming White Elephant Holiday sale on Friday, Nov. 18. Featured at the sale, you’ll find the perfect holiday decorations, one-of-a-kind treasures, and even more Buff ’n Blue attire – something you can never have too much of!
The Carnival White Elephant Fall/Holiday Sale is on Friday, Nov. 18 from 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. on the PFA Lānai in front of the Sullivan Administration Building.