On August 8th, 2023, we were all glued to our devices watching as Maui, particularly the town of Lāhainā, was engulfed by a series of wildfires, triggered by a downed power line. As the flames rapidly spread, exacerbated by dry conditions and high winds, the state of Hawaii declared an emergency. By mid-August, the fires had claimed over 115 people and leaving 388 others missing, and destroyed over 2,200 buildings, including Lāhainā's historic landmarks. The estimated damage soared to nearly $6 billion, making this the worst natural disaster in the history of Hawaii.

When tragedies like these happen, there is a lot of poor information out there and a lot of bad people who only want to confuse and scam others out of their money.

We want to point people in our mountain communities directly to trusted sources for information, and for your donations, if you choose to give. We want you to be confident that your donations go where they say they will go. Maui will need every cent raised to rebuild, which will last long after the bright TV camera lights fade away...we know what is means to 'Be a good local'...no matter the difference in altitude.