Honolulu City Council candidate Matt Matsunaga and community members will coordinate a can and bottle recycling drive from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Makiki District Park, with proceeds going to the McKinley and Kaimuki high school athletic departments.

Matsunaga is a candidate in the current special election for Council District 5, which includes McKinley and Kaimuki.

According to a press release sent yesterday morning, the event — called HI-5 S.O.S. ("Support Our Schools") — "was organized in response to recent budget cuts ... resulting in major funding shortfalls for public high school athletic programs."

"As a former high school athlete I understand the important life skills that are learned through organized sports, like determination, responsibility, and commitment," Matsunaga said in the press release. "In hopes of making it a team effort, I have invited my fellow candidates to stand with me and participate in the HI-S.O.S. event this weekend to help raise as much money as possible for the athletic programs of the schools in our district."

For more information on the event, visit www.mattmatsunaga.com or call Nani Medeiros at 497-1106.