A week into Hurricane Lowell recovery, today brings a mix of the practical and the personal: the North Shore's two hardest-working recovery efforts, a video capturing the volunteers who've carried this island, and one family's story of neighbors showing up when it mattered most. If you or someone you know needs help connecting to any of these resources, or wants to get involved through the club's own Disaster Relief efforts, reach out to Mark Wolfendale, our Disaster Relief program contact.
Kauaʻi Strong: The Community Keeps Showing Up
This past week has asked a lot of our island, and Kauaʻi has answered every time. A new video is out capturing the volunteers, cleanup crews, and community gatherings from this week of recovery, and it is worth three minutes of your day. Watch it here:
Kauaʻi Strong (video).
Two Groups Still Pushing Hard for the North Shore
Hanalei Initiative remains focused on three fronts. First, repairing and rebuilding local homes: assessing damage, directing funding to families living in unsafe conditions, prioritizing the most vulnerable, and getting contractors and materials on site quickly for roof repairs and storm-resistant rebuilding. Second, keeping North Shore students in school: they are funding temporary shuttle service until school buses are restored, redeploying drivers and vans to provide more than 75 student rides a day. Third, continuing essential community support: helping manage the County's Hanalei Resource Center, providing transportation, and distributing supplies. Learn more or lend a hand:
hanaleiinitiative.org Mālama Kauaʻi shares that the ice shortage is mostly over, thanks to a 40-foot container of ice from the County that is now being distributed regularly across North Shore areas. The new priority is tarps: 20 to 30 homes need 20 by 40 foot heavy-duty tarps, about 4 to 5 per roof, to prevent water damage before the next storm until full roof repairs happen. You can help by reaching out to tarp companies, checking local stores, or helping negotiate bulk orders. Tarps can be shipped to: Mālama Kauaʻi, 3-3204 Kuhio Hwy, Ste 102, Lihue, HI 96766. More info:
malamakauai.org Kauaʻi Takes Care of Kauaʻi
A family from Kalaheo Farms shared their story on Facebook, and it captures everything this week has been about. After a terrifying night, they woke to uprooted trees blocking their driveway, damaged cars and roof, broken water pipes, and no power or water, completely stuck at home. Then people started showing up. The Dang family, Danny, Jenny, and Chance, brought gas and generator help. Beau, Austin, and Josh arrived with chainsaws. Stephanie and her son lent a hand. The Osuna-Maza family repaired the water pipes, and Marlene Osuna-Maza brought food. Nobody asked for anything in return, they simply showed up. All the family could offer back was eggs and honey from their farm.
In their own words: their family, dogs, chickens, and bees are safe, their home is standing, and everything else can be repaired. "Kauaʻi takes care of Kauaʻi." That is Service Above Self, lived out driveway by driveway across this island, and it is exactly the spirit our club's Disaster Relief efforts exist to support. To plug in, reach out to Mark Wolfendale, our Disaster Relief program contact.
