Checking In
Rebuilding Lives
In the aftermath of deadly wildfires, Maui shows its strength.
By George Fuller
More than six months have passed since last summer’s deadly wildfires killed more than 100 people and destroyed the historic Hawaiian town of Lahaina on Maui. Since then, state and local officials have taken great strides in housing affected families, clearing debris, and starting to envision a future. But, as the state’s Governor Josh Green recently said, there’s still “a ton more work to do.”
More than $1.2 billion has been made available so far for federal agencies to spend on Maui’s recovery, officials said, with hundreds of millions more coming from county, state, and private sources. The private sources include prominent local businesses such as Hawaiian Airlines, First Hawaiian Bank, and Matson Shipping, along with scores of individual donations from around the country and across the globe funneled through organizations such as the Maui Strong Fund, the Hawaii Community Foundation, Troon Cares, and others.
The two Troon-managed facilities closest to Lahaina — Ka’anapali Golf Courses and Kapalua, both just a few miles north — escaped immediate damage to their courses and buildings, but both had multiple employees whose homes and lives were upended and in one case, Uncle Joe Schilling, tragically lost.
Uncle Joe, known to local and visiting players as the genial starter at the Ka’anapali Golf Courses, was 67 years old. Texts show that on the afternoon of the fire he had the opportunity to evacuate his Lahaina apartment complex, but instead chose to stay to help some elderly residents who had mobility issues. Sadly, Uncle Joe died that day.
“Uncle Joe will forever be in our hearts and minds,” said Ka’anapali Head Golf Professional Sherrie Golden. “His aloha spirit had an impact on everyone.” In Uncle Joe’s honor, the starter’s shack at Ka’anapali was rededicated as “Uncle Joe’s Hale.”
Last October, Ka’anapali Golf Courses hosted the University of Hawaii Men’s Ka’anapali Classic Tournament with 20 Division 1 teams across the country. Pledges and donations were collected based on birdies and eagles made, equating to $15,000 donated back to wildfire relief for Ka’anapali associates. Plus, Ka’anapali Golf Courses donated $5 per paid round to an associate fund assisting staff who lost their homes and possessions through last December, raising an additional $5,700.
Ka’anapali Golf Courses, alongside sister Troon-managed properties Pearl Country Club (Oahu) and The Ocean Course at Hōkūala (Kauai), also held various events in support of displaced residents, including a three-day community donation event where they collected food, clothing, home, and other non-perishable goods.
Sentry, title sponsor of The Sentry tournament played at Kapalua, donated $1 million in direct relief to Maui nonprofit organizations, saying “Maui is like family to us — our ohana. We recognize Maui faces a long road to recovery. We’re committed to standing by island residents throughout the rebuilding process.”
And Kapalua — which saw nearly one-third of its staff lose their homes and belongings in the fires — along with numerous partners such as Callaway, Tommy Bahama, FootJoy, and Peter Millar, hosted several Family Fun Nights and other events in support of their associates and the Maui community.
In addition, Kapalua matched all monetary donations given by golfers to its employees and organized and distributed donations from major golf apparel brands to employees and other members of the Maui community. TY Management, Kapalua’s ownership group, is funding the construction of a temporary housing project consisting of 50 tiny homes for displaced workers.
There is still a “ton more work to do,” as Governor Green said, but with so many people doing so much work, the Maui community seems poised to bounce back strong … Maui Strong.
