One-stop shop of Furlough Fridays services

Using "Furlough Fridays" in a sentence may soon have the same effect – if not already – as telling someone that it's "Friday the 13th".

Some parents of young school children have had to ask their employers for time off to supervise their kids on these days. Others are stuck with arranging child care alternatives. And we've all seen the grimaces of parents upset that their children are being shortchanged of a solid education. Hawaii parents whose kids will be affected by the looming Furlough Fridays, which begins Oct. 23, are scrambling to find a solution. The countdown begins.

In an effort to reduce the frustration of finding activities for their keiki, where they will be supervised, cared for and educated, the Chamber of Commerce and Hawaii lawmakers are providing a single venue to search for a variety of Furlough Fridays programs.

A one-stop shop website that lists child care options can now be found at the Chamber of Commerce website. The Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Senator Norman Sakamoto and Representative Roy Takumi, chairmen of their respective education committees, yesterday launched a "Keep Active on Furlough Fridays" bulletin board where businesses and non-profits hosting furlough Friday programs can post info on these programs for easy access by parents.

Rep. Takumi yesterday at a press conference announcing the launch of the web bulletin board stressed his discontent with furloughing Hawaii public school teachers. "This is not a replacement for what needs to done, (which is) to end the 'Furlough Fridays'," he said.

In photo: Representative Roy Takumi.