Correctional center cleanup makes way for visitor lanai

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COURTESY JUSTSERVE HELPING HANDS AND WCCC
A crew of volunteers and inmates at the Women’s Community Correctional Center in Kailua on Saturday cleared away a fallen tree and began building a lanai that will serve as a waiting area for family members on visiting days. The workers posed for a group photo at the facility’s entrance in Kailua.

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An Oahu correctional center shut its doors Saturday to family and friends, but the prisoners didn’t mind.

About 58 volunteers with JustServe Helping Hands worked Saturday morning with inmates and the warden at the Women’s Community Correctional Center in Kailua to build a new family waiting lanai.

The visits scheduled Saturday were postponed to Sunday.

Project manager Rich Pinto said the new lanai will afford a covered space for visitors after they’ve been cleared by security and before they enter the prison. Currently, only a small blue bench is provided and in inclement weather visitors run to their cars for shelter as they wait to be allowed in.

"This is our time to give back," said inmate Faith Nelson, 41. "That’s what helps us to rebuild. We came in here broken and it helps to build our inner strength. We appreciate when the volunteers come."

The 58 people from all different faiths and parts of the community and the women serving their time had a great day of community-building, said Laura Gutzwiller, spokeswoman with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Pinto said they spent the morning cutting up an approximately 100-foot-tall Norfolk pine that had fallen over, and clearing a mountain of branches before prepping a broken 35-by-25-foot concrete slab.

There will be additional work days to finish the slab, build a roof, and complete the lanai with tables, chairs and benches.

"My sweetheart visits me every weekend," said Clarene Kupahu, 36. "Charles Kupahu, rain or shine, is here at 8 o’clock sharp. Visitors are all we have besides phone calls. It’s our only contact with the outside world."

With the new covered lanai, visitors won’t have to get wet, and they’ll be in a good mood, Kupahu said. "Their mood affects us."

Warden Eric Tanaka said families "have nowhere to stage before they visit," but the lanai will provide such a place.

JustServe is asking for donations, both monetary and material, including wood and roofing materials.

For more information, go to justserve.org and click on "Helping Hands project at WCCC" or email Rich.Pinto808@gmail.com.