Officials from two Windward O'ahu churches and two parochial schools went to lunch yesterday and each came away with a half-million-dollar check for their institutions.

The charitable donations to St. Ann's Church in Kane'ohe, St. Anthony's Church in Kailua, Saint Francis School in Manoa and Saint Louis School in Kaimuki were awarded by the Henry and Colene Wong Foundation.

Wong, who died in September 2004, rose from a janitor and office boy to become landowner and philanthropist Harold Castle's "right-hand man," said his wife Colene, who handed out the checks at a lunch at Waialae Country Club.

The donations could not have come at a better time, given the economic hard times faced by the families of students at the two schools and parishioners of the two churches, both of which have school programs of their own.

The Rev. Herman Gomes, pastor at St. Ann's, said congregation members dedicated a new, $6 million church in October 2001.

Through various fundraising efforts and contributions, the remaining balance on the mortgage is $63,000.

Gomes said he will have to decide whether to use the Wong donation money to pay off some or all of the mortgage balance.

A mortgage-burning party and an "ice cream social" are distinct possibilities, Gomes said.

"We also have six acres of land, the school and preschool operations and a residence for the priests, all of which must be maintained, so this money will be a tremendous help to us," Gomes said. "This really gives us an opportunity to do so many different things, such as increasing our social service programs. It really is a milestone for our parish."

Sister Joan of Arc Souza, Saint Francis School principal, said it was hard for her to find the words to describe all that the Wong Foundation contribution will mean to the school.

"There are so many things we are hoping to do — a weight room for our athletes, a new restroom for the athletic complex, a new band room — our kids practice outside on a lanai now," Souza said.

The Wong Foundation has been a regular contributor to the school, she said. The school library is named in honor of Henry Wong, she said.

The Rev. Dennis Koshko of St. Anthony's School in Kailua and Walter Kirimitsu, president of Saint Louis School, said the Wong donations came at precisely the right time.

"Right now, we're in the middle of a campaign to pay off the remaining debt from a restoration project on our church and school," Koshko said. "This money comes as welcome help."

Koshko said he is tempted to use the donation money to zero out the renovation loan balance.

"But I don't think we'll spend it all at once. We should use some of it to set up an endowment fund."

Koshko said collection plate contributions have taken "a bit of a nose dive" since the economy soured.

"I'm hoping it's just a summer slump," he said. But enrollment is down slightly at the school as well.

Kirimitsu termed the donation a great help in furthering Saint Louis School's mission "to service a diverse student body."

Many Saint Louis students come from blue-collar families and in some cases, one or even both parents have lost their jobs as a result of the slumping economy.

"This gift from the Wong Foundation will allow us to provide scholarships and financial aid to our well-performing students with financial need," Kirimitsu said.

Enrollment at the school is down about 8 percent, or 60 students, this year compared with last year, he said.

"Of the parents willing to tell us why they took their sons out of the school, a large part said it was due to loss of financial resources," Kirimitsu said.

When asked what her late husband would think about how his hard work throughout life continues to benefit students today, Colene Wong said: "He would be thanking God."

Gordon Mau, a director of the Henry and Colene Wong Foundation, said Henry Wong held a 26 percent interest in a large tract of Kailua land that was developed into leasehold single-family homes and condominiums.

Monies earned from lease-to-fee conversions are what has enabled the Wong Foundation to make the contributions to the churches and schools, Mau said.