It was “Christmas in July” for a dozen inmates at the Women’s Community Correctional Center in Kailua who were able to spend a few precious hours with their children during a special Kids’ Day celebration Saturday.

The courtyard of the facility’s Maunawili Cottage was decorated with red and green balloons and streamers as holiday music filled the air. For 3-1/2 hours, moms and their kids enjoyed activities such as a water balloon toss, a photo booth, arts and crafts, lei making, sandcastle building and a reading corner, along with a barbecue lunch of hot dogs, hamburgers, shave ice, chips and cupcakes.

The keiki also got to pick toys donated by community organizers.

Hosted by the state correctional facility and Keiki O Ka ‘Aina Family Learning Centers, this was the third Kids’ Day since the COVID-19 pandemic, following celebrations earlier in the year for Easter and Mother’s Day.

A total of 12 incarcerated mothers and 14 children, ranging in age from 1 to 15, attended the event. Additionally, more than a dozen inmates volunteered to help out.

WCCC was housing a total of 191 inmates as of July 15.

Rochelle Guyer, 37, who is serving a sentence for drug-related charges, last saw her 15-year-old daughter Tayli during the Easter event in April. The teenager flew to Oahu for the Kids’ Day celebration from Hawaii island with Guyer’s mother, Agnes Nathaniel.

“It’s so nice to see Tayli and my mom again; it helps me bond better with Tayli,” Guyer said.

The event allowed them to spend time together, in person, as a family. The Guyers described their relationship as “very close,” noting that they call each other daily despite time constraints.

“It feels so good to spend time with my mom, especially without the five-minute phone limit we have every time,” Tayli Guyer said.

Rochelle Guyer was initially incarcerated in Hilo and was transferred to WCCC in November. She said she is looking forward to being paroled in October. Her transfer has been challenging for the family, as the separation across islands makes it harder for them to communicate and see each other on a regular basis.

Guyer said she initially did not want her daughter to visit her at the prison because she didn’t want her to be around the environment that comes with incarceration, but she eventually decided that seeing her daughter was more important.

Guyer also has a 14-year-old son who lives in California with his father. She hasn’t seen him in over six years and hopes to reunite with him soon.

She said that special events like Kids’ Day are crucial for feeling support from her family and providing motivation to improve and prepare for her eventual release from the facility.

Guyer also said that seeing fellow inmates with their children on Saturday was “very overwhelming.”

“They seem so different; there’s so much excitement and joy,” she said. “You can really see a different side to all of them, particularly as moms.”

Adult corrections officer S. Wilson, who preferred not to give her first name, noted that she, too, often sees the inmates in a different light during special events.

She often observes them when they are in lower spirits during holidays and family milestones, such as their children’s birthdays.

“Allowing the moms to spend time with their kids gives them more hope,” Wilson said. “The connections between the families become stronger, which can help guide them in the right direction.”

Tayli Guyer and Nathaniel arrived in Honolulu on Saturday morning from Hilo and returned home later in the day.

Nathaniel, who cares for her granddaughter, said that despite the challenges she tries to attend every event to support Tayli’s relationship with her mother and to see her daughter as much as possible. She noted that families of incarcerated individuals often lack support, especially those who live off-island.

“In order for them to become better people, they need their families,” Nathaniel said.

During most visits, especially when she can’t get assistance from family or friends on Oahu, Nathaniel spends around $300 on plane fare for two, plus $25 for airport parking and an additional $100 for Uber rides. She said they can’t afford to stay at a hotel, and regular daily visits to her daughter are limited to just one hour, making it barely worth the effort and expense to travel interisland.

Pikake Kamaunu Tester, the mother of a 35-year-old inmate, attended Kids’ Day with two of her daughter’s four sons.

Tester’s daughter has been in and out of the criminal justice system for a decade, initially due to burglary and fraud charges. Tester hopes she will be granted parole in August.

She said her daughter wishes to continue her education at Windward Community College to become a Hawaiian language teacher and pursue her “dream job” at Aha Punana Leo, a Hawaiian immersion school.

Both Tester and Nathaniel’s daughters are taking classes while in prison, and they believe the women can have bright futures despite their pasts.

“Even though she messed up, she deserves a second chance,” Nathaniel said.

Director of Corrections and Rehabilitation Tommy Johnson said that events allowing female inmates to spend time with their families are crucial for bonding.

“When inmates connect with their families and children, they tend to do better,” he said. “Their spirits are lifted and their stress levels related to incarceration decrease.”

Family-strengthening events are not limited to the women’s prison. Johnson noted that the Oahu Community Correctional Center hosts Father’s Day and other events where male inmates can spend time with their families and children.

Johnson expressed hope to see more of these events throughout the year and beyond.