EWA BEACH, Hawaii (KHON2) — The Hawaiʻi-based giveaway is first-come, first-served and will continue until supplies run out.
Hundreds of free beds will be given away Saturday, Aug. 16, at ʻIlima Intermediate School in ʻEwa Beach. The free bed event starts at 9 a.m.
“We just want to bless the community,” said Hawaiʻi State Senator Kurt Fevella (R-20). “It’s a big impact on, you know, having a good night’s sleep. You know, it’s a good quality of life. Little things like that, people don’t realize, goes a long way.”
Sen. Fevella said he hopes to distribute up to 1,000 beds: 500 king and 500 full-size mattresses. The event is part of a long-running community effort supported by Walker-Moody Construction.
“John, through the Walker-Moody, and his beautiful wife Debbie, when they get blessed with jobs and inventory, he just want to bless the community,” said Sen. Fevella. “Beds are not cheap; and sometimes, your bed is very old and you still just stay on them because you cannot afford to buy another one.”
The beds, previously used in hotels, are high quality and lightly worn, he said.
“Most hotels that renovate and give away their beds; the beds are hardly used. Only used for sleep because [guests are] always out about in the community,” Sen. Fevella explained. “I have a few of them at my house. I was really blessed to have it.”
The giveaway will take place in the parking lot of ʻIlima Intermediate School on Fort Weaver Road.
Families are encouraged to arrive early to secure a spot in line, and trucks or large vehicles are recommended for transporting mattresses.
“I just really appreciative of principals being really letting us use this school in front of ʻIlima Intermediate for people,” said Sen. Fevella.
Sen. Fevella warned that past giveaways have drawn big crowds; so, it’s important to get there early.
“We don’t want to run out,” said Sen. Fevella. “When we did this a few years back, on the west side…we ran out of beds.”
For more information, contact Sen. Fevella’s office at (808) 586-6360.