Date: September 24, 2007
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Linn Nishikawa, (808) 281-0810, email: linnpr@hawaii.rr.com

Maui Knitting Club, Big on Talent and Heart

WAILUKU, Maui, Hawaii - September 24, 2007 - When Maui resident Alma EnPaz decided to start a knitting club to create caps for infants at Maui Memorial Medical Center (MMMC), she had no idea how this generous gift would come circle. EnPaz wanted to donate caps to the local hospital, something she had done while living on the mainland. After receiving overwhelming support from people like the late Liz Janes of The Maui News, whose mother also knitted caps for her local hospital; and other people whom she knew and met, word about this philanthropic group quickly spread. Today, the club boasts over 20 women from all over the island who knit, crochet and loom caps on their own schedules for MMMC’s Obstetrics Department. Over 1,000 caps have been donated to Maui Memorial Medical Center Foundation for the hospital to date.

Makawao resident Matilda Applewhite, great grandmother of 12 and grandmother of 22 children, is proud to be one of the club's members. “I've been looming caps for Aids patients for 10 years. Now I can also contribute caps to make families of newborn infants happy, and it really makes you feel good.”

80-year-old Elsie Stewart agrees. I started crocheting at the age of five when I lived in an orphanage on the mainland. These days, it keeps me busy.” Now a great grandmother, she's grateful for the opportunity to give back to the community. “Giving to your family and to those you don't know makes you feel really appreciated.”

EnPaz is grateful to all the people and the local businesses like Ben Franklin Crafts in Queen Kaahumanu Center who help promote this club, and to the club members who donate their time and manpower to support this worthy cause.

Now like Santa's elves, the club is busy readying for the holidays. An array of festive-theme creations - elf caps, Christmas tree caps, pumpkin caps, and more - are now being created for the babies expected to be born this holiday season.

To date, the ladies in MMMC's knitting club are keeping up with the demand. More than 1,700 babies are born at MMMC each year, and the club is determined to make sure that each baby born at MMMC receives one of their loving gifts.

What started off as a project by EnPaz, has come full circle to touch many people's lives, not just the babies born at MMMC. “It's so heartwarming to see our ladies laughing and sharing their stories with one another, many of them who met for the first time,” said Maui Memorial Medical Center Foundation executive director Lani Correa. “We really appreciate their special talents of wanting to support and give from the heart.”

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Photo 1: Knitting club members Eufemia Korszen, Alma EnPaz, and Matilda Applewhite are proud to be a part of Maui Memorial Medical Center Foundation’s philanthropic family.

Photo 2: MMMC employees, Dana Palazzotto, LPN and Sheila Morimoto HUC2, show off some of the knitting club’s holiday creations.

Photo 3: Josie Roldan, daughter of Lauren Kirley and Jason Roldan, wears one of the club’s Christmas caps.

Photo 4: Noah Ezekiel Kawainohia‘aoulimehemeanaena‘u Chun, son of Kawehi Kahaleauki and Joshua Chun, wears a bright pumpkin cap.

Photo 5: Caps, caps and more caps for this year’s holiday season.