A day for keiki and moms to celebrate their love

HONOLULU (KHON2) -- On a balmy summer morning in Honolulu, inmate Shyrae Naihe hugged her 14-year-old daughter when she and other kids came to spend time at the Women's Community Correctional Center (WCCC).

On July 20, WCCC and Keiki O Ka ‘Āina Family Learning Centers held a special "Christmas in July" event for 12 moms and their 14 beloved keiki.

The courtyard was decorated with a holiday theme, and volunteers coordinated fun games like a water balloon toss and doughnut-eating contest along with yummy treats like shave ice.

For three and a half hours, the moms and their kids played together and enjoyed a barbecue lunch with hot dogs, hamburgers, shave ice, chips and cupcakes.

Under a tent, moms and volunteers helped kids choose toys like Legos and Squishmallows, which were donated by various community groups.

Tommy Johnson, the Director of Corrections, said events like this help keep the bond between moms and their kids strong, which is important for when the moms leave prison.

"We are so very happy to bring this day of joy to our inmates," said Johnson. "It's not just a time to bond, but it's a time to reflect on how one wants to live their lives once they are released."

Warden Ione “Noni” Guillonta agreed, saying it's crucial for the moms to stay connected to their families.

"Maintaining these connections to family is one of the most important things that can be done for our inmates," explained Guillonta. "It gives them a goal to work towards and a goal to maintain once they are released."

Guillonta, who has worked in corrections since 1990, expressed her excitement about restarting Kids' Day events.

"I truly feel this is my calling," she said. "I'm just so excited to have these Children's Day, Kids' Day starting again. This is just the beginning, and there's going to be a lot more family interactions and community interactions with our ladies. So, I'm very happy to see the turnout that we have so far."

Family members, who mostly take care of the children, brought the kids to the event. Momi Akana, the head of Keiki O Ka ‘Āina, said keeping families close helps prevent parents from committing crimes again.

"We've been in the prison for a little over 20 years now and we just absolutely love Kids' Day at the women's prison to see the moms and the children together," said Akana. "It's the best family engagement activity we could possibly have. It heals the children. They're so excited. You should see them. They run down the path waiting outside to see their moms. They're super happy. Moms are happy. It's keeping the family together."

Akana emphasized the importance of these events for the community. "There's three things that this is good for: 100% good for mom. It gives her a goal and a purpose to come back out and be healthy again. For the children, it helps them to heal and know that mom's okay. And for the community, moms are going to be coming back into our communities and we have to support them and show love for them."

Marina is the recreation specialist at WCCC campus. She talked about how activities help the inmates bond and improve their well-being.

"I'm in charge of athletics. We do workout classes, yoga, hula, and games. Right now, we have a volleyball tournament. It's really fun," she said. "With women, you need to be able to share your emotions, work out together, and have support. They work on problem-solving when they're in teams. They just open up and get through this time together."

Marina noted the positive effects of these activities on the inmates' daily lives.

"When we have a workout class or a yoga class in the morning, the rest of the day they can take a breath. There's not as many fights, and I can hear them laughing and sharing. That's what wellness can do. I'm happy to facilitate that and keep doing what I like."

The event also featured touching moments from the mothers. Rochelle Guyer, a mother, shared her hopes for her daughter.

"My greatest hope for her would have to be everything. I want everything for her, everything that I didn't get a chance to have, everything that she's capable of doing, which I know she is. That's what I want for her. Not this, this is not what I want for her," Michelle said. "These Kids' Days are probably one of the best things about being in prison, being able to see her when she comes to visit."

Lena, another mother, expressed her hopes for her children.

"My greatest hope for my daughters is to just be better than me, to do better than I've done in life," she said. "Days like this, like Kids' Days and visits, are really important for me, especially because before coming in here I was always around my kids. Now that I'm in here, I only get Saturday visits and then Kids' Day. Kids' Day last year we only got it once. This year I think we have it like six times. They especially look forward to it."

Kaile, another mother, shared her thoughts on the importance of Kids' Day.

"My greatest hope for my children is that they strive in life and that they feel loved and protected," she said. "When the kids come here, they can lean on me, love on me. We have several hours to spend with each other, unlike regular visits which are only one hour long. Here, we can play games and have lunch together. It's like a day out with them."

Momi Akana emphasized the long-term benefits of these events.

"We've done this event three times this year, and each time, I am touched with how much this helps both our community and the inmates and their families long-term," she said. "Keeping families engaged and relationships strong are the best way to help ensure that the parent won't re-offend."

The event was made possible by donations from Keiki O Ka ‘Āina and community partners. These contributions help create a supportive environment where families can strengthen their bonds, providing hope and a brighter future for both the inmates and their children.