[As printed in the Leeward People, March 7, 2007]
Call it alchemy, but the Pearl City Wal-Mark converted potato chips into computer chips.
Acually, the Leeward retailer sold a fair amount of Frito-Lay snack chips during a contest last year -- more than any other Wal-Mart location on the island, according to store co-manager Chanda Keawe.
That, in turn, earned the big-box retailer some computer equipment from Frito-Lay -- which then became earmarked for Aiea Elementary.
At a recent ceremony, representatives from the Pearl City Wal-Mart visited the campus to hand over the new equipment to an excited staff and student body.
A printer and computer paper were part of the donated package.
"We couldn't operate the school without organizations like Wal-Mark," said a grateful Principal Ed Oshiro. "We'll place the computer in our computer room so more than one person can operate it."
The Aiea Elementary computer room now features 31 units, thanks to the efforts of Wal-Mart and Frito-Lay.
While the store has donated a number of things to other schools, it has never done so on the Aiea side, Kiawe said.
"The Aiea community makes up a large part of our market," Kiawe acknowledged.
For Oshiro, the principal say any help from the business sector is always appreciated, especially because of the area's economic situation.
He said that between 85 and 90 percent of students at Aiea Elementary are on the U.S. government's free or reduced-price lunch program.
On a more low-tech level, the school would also appreciate donations of shoes and slippers.
Campus rules require that all students wear footwear, so some "emergency" pairs for the office would be appreciated.
Call the school at 483-7200.
- Emily Viglielmo, Leeward People