LIHUE — One thing is certain. When tragedy strikes on Kauai, the community comes together.
At Ha Coffee Bar on Monday afternoon, donations were coming in.
“We’ve already had several trucks leave,” said owner Kim Adams.
Filling her truck up with packages of water and other non-perishable items, Pamela Garcia-Neveu said she was hauling a load of the supplies up to Hanalei because she wanted to help those in need.
“I moved here in ’98, my husband and I. Whatever we can do to help,” she said.
Garcia-Neveu said her brother-in-law is part of the search and rescue team at the Kauai Fire Department, and worked 36 hours Sunday, even rescuing people who were stranded on top of their roofs.
“It’s just devastating,” she said.
Throughout the island Monday, individuals and organizations banned together to supply relief to those impacted by the floods and landslides on the North Shore.
Veronica Stephen of Kapaa said she wanted to donate items to the flood survivors because she hoped people would do the same for her. Stephen contributed toilet paper, paper towels, diapers, wipes, clothing and canned food items.
“I’m doing this to try to help out as much as I possibly can with what I have,” she said. “It’s good as a community to help each other out.”
In a Facebook post, OMline Ashram – Kauai Health and Spiritual Training Center, said they will be opening their home to those affected by the flood and serving food daily between 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Volunteers are welcome.
Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, donated $25,000 to the American Red Cross for the Kauai recovery efforts and also made a donation to Malama Kauai. Zuckerberg’s staff is also reaching out to help where needed.
Throughout the weekend, the Red Cross was busy running emergency shelters throughout Kauai and on Monday began rescuing people from Wainiha to the Princeville Airport.
The Salvation Army is also helping survivors and will be providing meals on Kauai, along with cleanup items and emotional and spiritual relief as needed.
Kelvin Moniz, executive Director of the Kauai Food Bank said by Monday afternoon they had trucked 3,000 pounds of necessary items for those impacted by the flood, to the North Shore.
“It’s (donations), going pretty good,” he said. “Not so much food donations, but water and monetary donations have been coming in.”
So far, he said, they’ve received about $650 in monetary donations.
Moniz said they need Depends for senior citizens who have been impacted from the storm. He said they shipped up numerous towels and sheets for the survivors.
As far as food items go, he said they have enough starches such as rice and pasta, but are running low on other necessities.
“We always need proteins, canned fruits and things like that,” he said. “Something in pop-top cans, that’s ready to eat.”
Hawaii Foodbank -Kauai Branch Director Wes Perreira said they delivered 16,010 pounds of fresh produce, eggs, water, bread products, snacks and other items to the North Shore on Sunday and Monday.
“We are continuing our efforts of gathering more donations in the coming days pending the assessed need,” he said.
Throughout Sunday and Monday afternoon, until the Hanalei Road was opened, Hanalei resident Ashley Guerrero was coordinating rescue efforts.
“I was helping to organize the boats and trying to get supplies down to the boats,” she said.
Food and supply donations were being dropped off at specified locations, but they weren’t making it to the boats, so volunteers ended up walking items to fill the boats.
Gurerro said she was also the contact point for those who needed to be rescued.
“People called me and told me where they were,” she said.
On the other side of the road, her husband David Gurerro was not only working to save the school she runs, but he was also volunteering to rescue those stuck in their homes and coordinated hot food to be delivered to the emergency shelter at Hanalei School.
“He took gallons of water to the elementary school because they didn’t have any running water,” she said. “He brought board games from the school and hot food to the victims from Hanalei Bay Pizzeria.”
When Hanalei Bridge opened up Monday afternoon, Guerrero was relieved.
“Now we can physically help the people get their lives together,” she said.
Wanna Help?
For those wanted to help the North Shore recover from the weekend’s flooding and landslides, there are numerous places accepting donations.
Items needed include bottled water, large jugs, non-perishable, ready to eat food items, pop top canned goods, Depends, diapers, wipes, toiletries, gloves, shovels, slippers, bleach and cleaning supplies.
Places to donate include:
American Red Cross, 4485 Pahe’e Street, Suite 145.Add a note with your donation marked, “for Kauai support.
Malama Kauai, donations can be made on their Facebook page or by sending a check to P.O. Box 1414 Kilauea, HI 96754
Drop off sites:
• Kauai Independent Food Bank, 3285 Waapa Road, Lihue, until 4 p.m.
• Hawaii Food Bank 4241 Hanahao Place Lihue
• Ha Coffee Bar, 4180 Rice Street Lihue
• Bubba’s Burgers, Kapaa Town
• Anahola Farmers Market, 4541 Hokualele Road
• Beside Moloa’a Fruit Stand, Moloa’a
• Malama Kauai Coommunity Farm, Kalihiwai Ridge
• Mattress Firm Kauai , 4303 Nawiliwili Road
• The Anaina Hou campus, Kilauea
•••
Bethany Freudenthal, Courts, Crime and County reporter, 652-7891 or bfreudenthal@thegardenisland.com
We are fond of Kauai too. With the election coming up, we should all remember one thing, being part of a federal assistant program means they care. Let us think. We need a mayor as Benard to be Lieutenant Governor. Since Kauai is such a fond place, let us remember the work they do in putting Kauai at the heart of the Pacific Ocean. Like the show Jumangi, or Jumanji, Kauai is such a special place. We can all be thankful for federal assistant and what it does for Kauai. Thank you so much to Bernard P. Carvalho Jr. for loving Kauai and making a difference. Now let us vote.