Business lends hand with fundraising on flood devastated Kaua'i

Transcript

MEGHAN THIBAULT:  All we have been doing really is trying to sort of leverage efforts of agents across the state and clients across the state to help with fundraising and then we channel those funds to those who are doing the heavy lifting right there. So like the Red Cross and Malama Kaua'i are chief organisations who are helping out. We already have a non profit organisation and so we decided to use that outlet to raise funds

SARA VUI-TALITU:  How are fundraising efforts so far? 

MT: So far we have seen over 37 thousand dollars worth of donations come in and our charitable fund is managed through Hawaii Community Foundation and this is not unusual for small non profit organisations. Here in Honolulu, the Hawaii Community Fund manages a number of community funds and they accept the donations and channelled to organisations helping directly with disaster relief. 

SV: Has it come as a shock for a lot of people in Hawaii as to what has actually occurred?

MT: Yes, I think so. Well a hurricane is certainly what you would anticipate and expect to be damaging. But this was just what was seemingly a regular weekend. This was just an incredible rainstorm with as many as two inches an hour and in some places it said they got over 28 inches of rain in 24 hours on the north shore of Kaua'i. And so there were just pools everywhere and I was pretty just shocked at the film footage of waterfalls and just the Hanalei river running amuck and so there has been considerable damage to homes and property and sinkholes as well. People's homes have fallen into them and really quite incredible and for most residents it was pretty shocking especially there. For people living over there, I can't imagine what they are enduring

SV: It is also known as the Garden Isle Kaua'i. Is it like a garden isle because it is so beautiful usually? 

MT: Yes, Hanalei and the north shore of Kaua'i is unrivalled in its beauty. It is absolutely spectacular and you know Hawaii in general is beautiful but to me it is just a gem. And so many people know it, Kaua'i in general, as being this really green lush environment with beautiful mountains valleys and beaches and Hanalei has some of the most sought after real estate on Hawaii and certainly one of the most sought after vacation destinations. It's a really small town with tons of charm with no malls or big businesses or anything. It is very quiet and sublime small town life up there. And so being kind of  one of the only businesses of any size that is located up there is quite unusual because there's not really much industry up there except natural beauty going on but because we are located up there, certainly my team. I work from Oahu and we have 14 offices state wide, but our headquarters is up there. So the people I work for and with are watching all the volunteers are streaming in to help and so they just wanted to find a way to contribute and to help people who are trapped up there and whose homes have been destroyed plus certainly we have clients employees and friends and family who have been affected.