A strong year-end finish in car sales has resulted in a $25,000 contribution to the Hawai'i High School Association's "SOS" (Save Our Sports) Fund to help public school athletic departments offset recent state budget cuts.

The Hawai'i Honda Dealers Advertising Association will present a check for $25,000 to HHSAA executive director Keith Amemiya at halftime of tonight's Kahuku-Moanalua boys basketball game, which will be televised live statewide on OC16.

The money was raised via a Holiday Season promotion at Honda dealerships statewide that donated $100 from every Honda sold toward the SOS campaign. A Honda spokesperson said 250 cars were sold during the promotion.

In addition to the $100 contribution per car sold, the Hawai'i Honda Dealers Advertising Association took out TV and radio ads and posted mall signs publicizing the need to support high school athletics. The association dedicated its entire December ad budget toward the SOS campaign — designed to help Hawai'i's 45 public school athletic departments offset state budget cuts that left them operating with less than 64 percent of their allocations for 2008-2009.

Contributions from the past two weeks — which also include $1,647 from an ongoing "Honey Toast" dessert promotion at Shokudo Japanese Restaurant and Bar — have brought the fund's running total to $1,423,837 since the effort began July 23. The funds will be distributed later based on a formula that accounts for the size of each program and student participation.

To contribute to the SOS Fund, make a check payable to "HHSAA SOS Account" and send it to HHSAA, P.O. Box 62029, Honolulu, HI 96839, or visit www.sportshigh.com.

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com