Elder Steven Olsen said the student volunteers who helped with Food Fest, accomplishing tasks such as taking care of garbage, cleaning and running the supply tent from which the food booths get napkins, silverware and other essentials, worked from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Hundreds of students came together to put on Food Fest 2021 in an effort to raise funds for various school clubs. Some clubs ran booths where they sold food while other clubs assisted Student Leadership & Service with setup in exchange for service grants or money added to the clubs’ budgets, according to their service hours.
For Destiny Weidow, a senior from Montana double majoring in social work and exercise science, the standout food was the nom kom from the Cambodia Club. She said she had never tried Cambodian food before but it was “very good” and “probably [her] favorite thing [she] had all night.”
Weidow said it was her second time attending Food Fest and he was surprised at the number of people who showed because most school events since COVID have been small.
While she said it was “more fun” last time she went because of the music and performances, she was still enthused about the most recent Food Fest. “It’s so cool all the clubs can come together and showcase different traditional foods and share them,” she explained.
Olsen, a senior missionary from Syracuse, Utah, who serves in the Student Leadership & Service, said Food Fest 2021 went “surprisingly well.”
Olsen credited a Student Leadership & Service employee, Jacquie Alisa, for Food Fest’s success. He said she has been planning and coordinating Food Fest for many years and “has it down to a science.”
“Don’t give me all the credit,” he said with a smile. “I’m helping people clean garbage cans.”
He said his favorite part of Food Fest was watching community members and BYU–Hawaii students and faculty interacting.
Lauren Gunnell, a junior hospitality and tourism management major from Kingston, Washington, said she made it a point to try as many foods as possible. She stated she got food from the Kiribati, Tonga, Taiwan and Cambodia clubs, among others.
Like Weidow, Gunnell had only been to one previous Food Fest before COVID-19. She said this year’s Food Fest “felt really normal.”
She said Student Leadership & Service “did a really good job” because “there were a lot of safety restrictions, but it didn’t really feel restricted.” Overall, she rated Food Fest 2021 as “a 10 out of 10.”
Gunnell recommended, “Get involved. Join a club and help. Come to Food Fest next year too!”
