North Texas Hawaiian community supports Maui from thousands of miles away
BEDFORD (CBSNewsTexas.com) - We've seen the heartbreaking images of the devastation left behind in Maui after wildfires destroyed communities there. Here in North Texas the Hawaiian community and all those who love the islands came together Sunday night to celebrate Hawaiian culture and support Maui from thousands of miles away.
"For our culture you know music heals so when there's laughter, song, dance, food, and conversation it just heals from the inside out," said Pomai Uyehara, one of the organizers of the #MauiStrong fundraiser.
So that's just what the Hawaiian community here in North Texas did at the #MauiStrong fundraiser in Bedford. Organizers Barry and Pomai Uyehara, the owners of Hawaiian restaurant, Pineapple Grill in Hurst, said the community needed a way to support each other and their loved ones back home in Maui during this tragedy.
"It's just so humbling to see people donating it makes me very happy to know that we're making a difference," said Barry.
The Midcities Montessori School where the fundraiser was held, was decorated with leis and Hawaiian art and hundreds of people packed into the gym to watch traditional Hawaiian dances that reminded them of home and their families there, who were impacted by the fires. Kelani Namahoe has relatives on Maui who lost everything.
"They lost everything, homes jobs cars everything," said Namahoe.
Being so far away from home right now is hard.
"I know as much as we all want to be there in person and boots on the ground it's best for us to stay back and let them have their space and just send as much 'aloha' and 'mana', love and energy, towards them," she said.
But being here, with her community helps.
"Being surrounded by other 'ohana' here feeling the 'mana' feeling the 'ohana' here it's really, it's a sweet moment for me," said Namahoe.
The organizers say the donations collected at today's event through raffles, and a silent auction will go directly to families in need in Maui.
"This is what it's about though, to lift up one another and just to say I got you," said Pomai Uyehara.
Before the fundraiser event on Sunday, they had already raised $2500.
For more information on how you can support the #MauiStrong fundraiser, click here.
