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The inside of War Memorial Gym is packed with cots and people on Thursday as it serves as a temporary shelter for people displaced by fires. The Maui News / ROBERT COLLIAS photos

 

WAILUKU ÔÇö Kim Ball lost two houses and a cottage in the Lahaina wildfire, but he and his workforce at Hi-Tech Surf Sports were spearheading efforts to deliver much-needed supplies to shelters around the island on Thursday.

 

ÔÇ£Yesterday morning when I found out from my son that we had lost both our houses and our cottage where our boys lived, I was kind of in shock,ÔÇØ Ball said Thursday via phone from his Kahului Hi-Tech store ÔÇö he is the president of the Maui company that has four surf shops on the island.

 

ÔÇ£Our co-workers here took it upon themselves to go on social media and reach out about the food,ÔÇØ Ball said. ÔÇ£As far as I know, yesterday they had over 20 truckloads of food and blankets and water that were brought here were dispersed to the shelters and the churches and anybody in need and weÔÇÖre still doing it today. People are coming in and dropping stuff off and people are coming in and grabbing stuff in the front of the store.ÔÇØ

 

Hi-Tech is just one of numerous Maui businesses chipping in to the relief effort in light of the devastating wildfires around the island. Ball said that the effort is helping him deal with his own losses. People line up for food inside War Memorial GymÔÇÖs temporary shelter.

 

ÔÇ£Totally, because IÔÇÖm in the same boat,ÔÇØ he said. ÔÇ£I feel what those people are feeling. Literally I had the shirt and the shorts that I was wearing and the shoes. For 48 hours I was wearing the same clothes. Kind of being in shock, you donÔÇÖt even realize it, but today IÔÇÖm wearing my brotherÔÇÖs underwear and staying at his house.

 

ÔÇ£Went to my dentist this morning and they gave me a new toothbrush and went to Kaiser (Permanente) and they got me in to get fit for glasses and contacts because you lose all that stuff and you donÔÇÖt realize it until a couple days later.ÔÇØ

 

Hi-Tech was joined all over the island by local businesses donating their time and manpower. Hana Like Home Market and Kula Country Market asked for volunteers to help collect and distribute donations from Aloha Air Cargo this weekend. SparkyÔÇÖs Food Company opened at 7 a.m. on Wednesday to start accepting canned goods, snacks and cases of bottled water. The Dunes at Maui Lani golf course will donate $3 for every round of golf played there in the month of August.

 

Angus Peters III and Mary Kielty, the chief of recreation for the Maui County Department of Parks and Recreation, direct traffic on Thursday at the War Memorial GymÔÇÖs temporary shelters for people displaced by fires.

 

While well-known organizations and businesses may be safe to donate to, State Attorney General Anne Lopez is alerting residents to use caution when choosing where to send their money and donations. ÔÇ£I know that the people of HawaiÔÇÖi will come to the aid of our families, neighbors, and communities,ÔÇØ Lopez said in a news release. ÔÇ£We are already seeing various fundraising efforts being promoted on social media platforms and online. In moments of crisis, we all must be extra vigilant against bad actors who try to take advantage of peopleÔÇÖs goodwill.ÔÇØ

 

Before making a donation, all donors are urged to keep the following tips in mind:

 

             ÔÇó If you donate, donate to trusted, well-known charities. Beware of scammers who create fake charities during natural disasters. Always verify a charityÔÇÖs legitimacy through its official website. If someone is fundraising on behalf of a charity you are familiar with, it is best to donate directly to that charity.

 

             ÔÇó Verify that the charity is legitimate. Any charity that solicits donations in Hawaii must be registered with the Department of the Attorney General, and its status can be verified on their website.

 

Charlie Halsey, one of more than 60 employees who work for Ball at Hi-Tech, was helping folks fill a U-Haul truck in front of the Kahului Hi-Tech store on Thursday.

 

ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖve got toiletries, towels, clothes, dog food, personal hygiene supplies, food and drinks, water,ÔÇØ Halsey said. ÔÇ£A lot of this stuff weÔÇÖve been sending to the Maui Fire Department and first responders directly. Most of this load is going to KingÔÇÖs Cathedral and War Memorial (near) Baldwin. There are more than 500 people being housed at those two places.ÔÇØ

 

Halsey said he was also struck by the outpouring of aloha.

 

ÔÇ£It really is remarkable, we sent out over 15, 16 trucks full of stuff yesterday,ÔÇØ Halsey said. ÔÇ£We had supplies for everybody. We loaded up a couple of Cessnas that went over to the west side, a couple of boats from Maalaea Harbor went over to the west side with supplies.

 

ÔÇ£Most of the shelters are already saying theyÔÇÖre full to capacity with supplies, so itÔÇÖs awesome to see the community coming together and bringing everything that people need right now. Yeah, just totally selflessly.ÔÇØ

 

Kathy Shipman was dropping off a couple cases of water and womenÔÇÖs toiletries to the U-Haul truck Halsey was overseeing.

 

ÔÇ£Oh, itÔÇÖs awesome to see everyone coming together in the midst of such devastation,ÔÇØ Shipman added. ÔÇ£ThereÔÇÖs a little light for humanity.ÔÇØ

 

Ball was near tears when he talked about his staff and their remarkable efforts, many of them in direct response to his personal situation.

 

ÔÇ£That makes me want to cry,ÔÇØ he said with his voice cracking. Ball said that his company is also taking money through the nonprofit he founded, the Maui Sports Foundation. They will take checks at the Hi-Tech Kahului location or money can be VenmoÔÇÖd to @mauisportsfoundation.

 

ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖll have some funds available for the west side,ÔÇØ Ball said. ÔÇ£I live in the community so weÔÇÖll know who needs help. WeÔÇÖll be able to disperse funds for people that need it. We just launched it and so many people have asked where to donate. I live in the middle of the west side community, we have a nonprofit, we know where it can go.ÔÇØ

 

At War Memorial Gym shelter, Kanani Plunkett Adolpho was busy as the volunteer coordinator on Thursday afternoon. The shelter below Baldwin High School was nearly a standalone village with food being served, people sleeping on cots, and volunteers all over the place helping as needed.

 

ÔÇ£Since 7 oÔÇÖclock this morning weÔÇÖve had more than 200 volunteers that were here and are still here right now,ÔÇØ Plunkett Adolpho said. ÔÇ£TheyÔÇÖre all spread out from the pick-up and drop-off, here in the triage, here at the store, and all over inside.

 

ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖve been prepping them for what theyÔÇÖre about to see, what our new normal is for Maui, what Maui is doing for each other, and weÔÇÖre not pointing people to go where the help is, weÔÇÖre walking them to get what they need.ÔÇØ

 

Hannah Matsumoto was serving food in a buffet line to grateful evacuees. As she spoke, Matsumoto became emotional ÔÇö she works for the County of Maui Department of Housing and Human Concerns.

 

ÔÇ£ItÔÇÖs just crazy, I just canÔÇÖt imagine ÔÇö this interview is the first emotion that IÔÇÖm showing,ÔÇØ she said. ÔÇ£Heartbreak yesterday, you just try to be strong for these families. This is the first time that IÔÇÖm actually getting emotional.ÔÇØ

 

Mary Kielty, the chief of recreation for the county Department of Parks and Recreation, was directing traffic ÔÇö both cars and volunteers ÔÇö in the field next to the gym where the drive-thru donation line was flowing well.

 

ÔÇ£The response is amazing, the response from the community is unbelievable,ÔÇØ Kielty said. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre trying to be organized, be as swift and efficient as possible to get things out to everyone in need.ÔÇØ

 

Kasie Apo Takayama is a senior legislative analyst for the countyÔÇÖs Office of Council Services. She was assessing the donation needs at the drop-off area.

 

ÔÇ£We need a lot of formula, thatÔÇÖs a really big one, weÔÇÖve got a lot of babies both coming out of Lahaina, families out there that need assistance,ÔÇØ Apo Takayama said. ÔÇ£Pets and pet shelters need assistance. Toiletries and hygiene is a really big one, diapers. Food, I think, weÔÇÖre getting…

 

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AI legalese decoder: Assisting with Disaster Relief Efforts

The recent wildfires in Lahaina have caused widespread devastation and left many people displaced from their homes. In response to this crisis, numerous businesses in Maui, including Hi-Tech Surf Sports, have stepped up to deliver much-needed supplies to shelters and those in need.

Kim Ball, president of Hi-Tech Surf Sports, shared how his company’s employees have taken the initiative to reach out to the community and gather donations of food, blankets, and water. The response has been overwhelming, with over 20 truckloads of supplies distributed to shelters, churches, and individuals in need. Hi-Tech Surf Sports is not alone in their efforts, as other businesses, such as Hana Like Home Market and Kula Country Market, have also asked for volunteers to help collect and distribute donations.

The outpouring of support from the community has been heartwarming, helping those affected by the wildfires find hope and comfort during these challenging times. However, it’s important to exercise caution when making donations. State Attorney General Anne Lopez advises residents to ensure they donate to trusted, well-known charities and to verify a charity’s legitimacy before making a contribution.

Hi-Tech Surf Sports, despite their own losses, has shown remarkable resilience and compassion. They have set up a nonprofit, the Maui Sports Foundation, to collect monetary donations that will be directly disbursed to those in need on the west side of the island.

The dedication and selflessness displayed by businesses, volunteers, and organizations in Maui have made a significant impact on the relief effort. From providing supplies to coordinating volunteer efforts and directing traffic, every contribution matters.

As the community comes together in the face of this disaster, it is essential to address specific needs. Donations of formula for babies, assistance for pets and pet shelters, toiletries, hygiene products, and food remain crucial to supporting those affected by the wildfires.

Lastly, it is impossible to understate the emotional toll this disaster has had on individuals and families. Many have lost their homes and belongings, leaving them feeling vulnerable and uncertain about the future. The compassion and support demonstrated by organizations like Hi-Tech Surf Sports and dedicated volunteers like Kanani Plunkett Adolpho truly make a difference in providing comfort and care to those in need.

In this time of crisis, the AI legalese decoder can assist by quickly extracting and summarizing relevant information from legal documents, such as registration

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