Giving thanks for a powerful gift to our youngsters that keeps on giving

 Dear Hawaii Rotarians,

In October, my third grade granddaughter came home from school saying excitedly, `Mom! Guess what? My classmates and I each got a neat Dictionary today!` (from the Rotary Club of Kahala Sunrise).

Upon further inquiry, I discovered that the Rotary District Chairperson, Gloria King, from the Rotary Clubs of Honolulu and most recently of the Rotary Club of Kahala Sunrise, learned about this project from the mainland and started it here in Hawaii in 2005.

I understand from District Chair Gloria, that the Rotary Dictionary project was so satisfying and successful during the first year, that Rotarians wanted to continue the project every year since. The first year, Rotarians gave over 15,000 dictionaries to all third grade students in public schools on all the Hawaiian Islands. In the following years, the project was enlarged to give dictionaries to all Public, Private, Charter and Home schools on all the Hawaiian Islands, amounting to over 18,000 dictionaries yearly.

What a tremendous and satisfying undertaking this was, as the Rotarians presented dictionaries to each third grader. During the presentation, Rotarians asked each student to write their name in their dictionary and explained how to use the dictionary.

What an incredible gift to give to youngsters to help them with their basic foundation for knowledge, language, science and math skills.

My granddaughter Jade and our entire family would like to thank Rotarians throughout the State of Hawaii for their generous and outstanding gift of a dictionary.

Mahalo Nui Loa,

Elaine Kam