This message was shared with the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo ʻohana on August 8, 2024.
E ka ʻohana o UH Hilo, aloha nui ʻoukou,
As we remember the events of August 8, 2023, that deeply affected our entire state, I want to extend my heartfelt aloha to each of you, especially those directly impacted by the devastating fires that swept across Maui a year ago today. The destruction and loss experienced by our Maui ʻohana are profound, and we stand with them in this time of remembrance and recovery.
To our faculty and staff who are from Maui or have ʻohana there, please know that we sending love and light to you, especially today. The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo is a close-knit community that embodies and practices aloha, mālama, and kōkua. While the path to recovery for our Maui ʻohana will be long, it is a journey already characterized by these principles, deeply engrained in our Hawaiʻi community.
UH Hilo remains committed to providing support and resources to all members of our community affected by this disaster. We are here to assist in any way possible, whether through counseling services, basic needs accommodations, or simply being there for one another. Mahalo especially to those of you who supported our Maui students last year and continue to do so.
The flags in Hawaiʻi, including on our campus, will be lowered to half-staff today through August 12 in solemn remembrance of the lives affected by the Maui fires, honoring their memory and reflecting our shared commitment to support and solidarity.
I encourage all of you to take a moment today to uplift our Maui ʻohana as they move forward with strength and resilience, like the “ipu kukui ʻā mau, pio ʻole i ka makani Kauaʻula,” the enduring flames that remain alight, even against the strongest Kauaʻula winds.
With heartfelt aloha,
Bonnie