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Lanai Cares

Lāna‘i Cares

No one sets out to be a hero, in the same way that no one sets out one morning determined to levitate or break a four-minute mile or swim to Molokai, or any number of improbable personal quests. A hero emerges out of ordinary life not from a desire for glory, but from circumstances so dire, he or she feels compelled to act. It is a response that is sometimes spontaneous or instinctual, sometimes considered, but it is a response that is always born out of an empathy for others, and from that deep well, leads to kindness, embodied in actions that ripple outward in ever-widening circles, touching all of us in some way, and shaping, too, our own ideas of what is always possible when we act with aloha.

With COVID-19 in our midst, we are living now in those dark times. The world feels heavy, especially so with nonstop news that changes and shifts every day.

But walking among us in this community, which has always been rooted in the arts that make our island remarkable – the art of giving and sharing, of caring and helping – are heroes of Lanai. We have only heard snippets of stories, stories of selflessness, of extraordinary acts of kindness. We hear that some have been led to such a moment because they are emergency personnel, essential workers; others have responded to a sudden need or problem. The why of any story is interesting, but it is the who and the how of a story that resonates deeply with any listener, for contained in the answers to those questions is a shining reflection of who we could be, our very best selves, and the kind of world in which we wish to live.

If you know of heroes, or of heroic deeds, during this time of the coronavirus, we want to hear from you. It could be just a couple of sentences or you could include a photo along with the story. We welcome all the ways you would like to share your stories of kindness and hope and aloha.

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Mahalo, Imua Lanai!

Mahalo Lisa Grove and contributors to the Imua Lanai Facebook group for sharing all your resources and ideas for our keiki! They get so bored and can't see their friends, but at least they can try new things and keep learning at home.

Feeding Our Community

Mahalo to folks like Divina and Henry Costales, Rodrick Sumagit, Kendra Leah, Jose and Priscilla Felipe, Kathleen Amoncio, Flora Vila and countless others for organizing food pantry drive-throughs and deliveries to feed our kupuna, Women Helping Women, and the community!

Mahalo!

Mahalo to Captain Rick Robinson and crew! While being a part time resident of Lanai Capt. Rick has donated a bunch of Mahi mahi filets to the Lanai Baptist Church on two occasions that I know of when making a big catch. I'm sure the beneficiaries appreciate it.

Kinaole

Kinaole ~ is a very special word and some define it as "Doing the right thing in the right way, at the right time, in the right place, to the right person, for the right reason, with the right feeling." Today we would like to share the word in honor of Mr. Larry Ellison for his generosity and compassion to the employees, business owners and community members, of Lanai. We hope the community can celebrate your contributions and pay it forward during the month of May. Mahalo nui loa.

LHES Cafeteria Workers

Thank you, LHES cafeteria staff for providing breakfast and lunch for the community kids everyday! Even if it’s cold, windy, rainy or hot outside, you are all still there diligently passing out food so our children can have a meal. We appreciate all your hard work! Thank you!

Shout out to our postal employees

Our family wants to thank Melinda Emmel, Erica Dombrigues, Bonnie Ayonayon and Kahea Batoon for everything they do keeping the Lanai Post Office in top shape and getting our mail and packages to us safely. Thank you four for taking care of us! - The Vergara Family

MAHALO, Kings Chapel Lanai!

Mahalo to this church for doing a drive-thru food distribution every Sunday for our community. We appreciate your prayers as we drive to get our goods and all the aloha given during this time. Thanks to your volunteers who make this happen every week!

Lanai Kinaole

Mahalo to a dedicated group of always hard working but now even harder working healthcare providers. During this COVID-19 pandemic they have sewed masks, distributed masks, provided important information to the community, purchased and delivered essential supplies to Kapuna, provided homecare and home health services to homebound patients, and the list can go on and on. They do all these things with a cheerful approach and big smile. They are our Lanai Angels. Mahalo, Mahalo, Mahalo

Mahalo, Tessie Morimoto!

Thank you for always being a great Administrative Professional, mother, wife, sister, daughter, auntie and a friend! Know you are appreciated and loved very much! Keep being you!

Thank You, Mask Makers!

A huge thanks to all of you who have been diligently and lovingly sewing facial masks for everyone in the Lanai community! Making these face coverings available has made it so much easier for residents to "mask-up" to help protect family, friends, neighbors, and customers.

Mahalo, Lanai Community!

Thank you for adhering to the Governor's and Mayor's rules during this COVID-19 crisis! We need to protect our kupuna, keiki, and all of our community members and that starts with all of you! Social distancing, wearing your face masks, not going out unless it is essential and not gathering! If you see something please say something. There are a few people who don't want to follow the rules, but the majority know how very important this is. There is hope if we can stay Lanai-strong and hunker down until we get the all clear. Be kind to one another.

Class of 2020

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2020 - Mahalo to you and your families for hanging in there and staying strong. You hare having to social distance at a time when you would be gathering and hosting celebrations. You can do this in different but very special ways while still remaining healthy and keeping your community healthy. Stay Lanai strong and make new traditions for your graduation. The entire community is behind you all. Much Aloha ~ Lanai Kinaole Team and Board of Directors

Mahalo, Sgt Masse!

Mahalo Sgt Kim Masse for all your hard work, time, and dedication to the safety and preparedness for our community.

Mahalo, Manele Koele Charitable Fund!

The Manele Koele Charitable Fund recently funded gift cards valued at $2500 from Richard’s Market to Lanai's Senior Center, to keep vulnerable Kupuna out of the grocery stores during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kris Kahihikolo, Senior Center administrator, and volunteers, shop for groceries and other essentials and deliver them to 50 Kupuna on the island. Started in 2016, MKCF has donated $413,497 to outstanding Lanai organizations to date.

Mahalo, Ann Suzuki-Hough!

While Ann Suzuki-Hough has sold loaves of her island-famous banana bread as omiyage, it would be fair to say that baking cakes and cookies is Ann's way of expressing gratitude and love. With the coronavirus crisis, baking also has become Ann's way to stay connected, to reach out and let folks know she's thinking of them. Some of the people for whom Ann bakes were her mom's good friends when Ann was a little girl, but these friends have become hers, too, over the years. Sally Takahama is one of them. When Mrs. Takahama mentioned that she's afraid to go out now because of the coronavirus, Ann went to her kitchen after the phone call and whipped up a loaf of banana bread to drop off at Sally's. Since the lockdown March 25, 2020, Ann has been baking twice a week. She has baked all kinds of cakes, banana bread, chocolate chip cookies – this week, cornbread – and delivered them to the Oshimas, Joe & Priscilla Felipe, Auntie Fran Kamali, Claude Huerta, Nat Ropa. She will be baking loaves of banana bread and shipping them sometime soon to her friend, registered nurse, Karen Shigaki, to share with fellow nurses at Palimomi Hospital in Honolulu, who work on the floor dubbed the Coronavirus floor, so named for the growing numbers of patients infected with COVID-19. Ann said she likes to improvise, baking whatever she has on hand. The Felipes gave her a bunch of apples once, so she made apple-banana-walnut cake. Before the pandemic forced kids indoors and shifted schoolwork online, Ann would bake various cookies – almond, chocolate chip, peanut butter – for Tower Vergara, who has tutored her son Aiden. Baking treats for Tower was Ann's way of saying thanks.