Thanksgiving meal service keeps rolling
A fallen eucalyptus tree that damaged a Puunene nonprofit group’s vehicles and office trailer won’t stop needy families on Maui from getting a Thanksgiving meal this holiday season.
Feed My Sheep says it can deliver Thanksgiving groceries this week to all six of its locations on Maui because of an outpouring of support from the community.
"Nobody’s going to be left out," said Joyce Kawakami, executive director of the mobile food kitchen.
About 9,500 Valley Isle residents get about 10 pounds of food a week from Feed My Sheep, which will make its last delivery of Thanksgiving items Saturday, including stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries and a voucher for a fresh turkey.
The organization was hobbled Friday when the eucalyptus tree gave way in dry soil and toppled onto the group’s delivery van. The tree also damaged the organization’s office trailer, a refrigeration unit and two other vehicles.
Officials worried they couldn’t make a delivery to 100 families in Kihei on Saturday because of the lack of vehicles.
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After news of the damage spread, Tire Warehouse of Maui donated a delivery van, and Sturdevant Refrigeration & Air Conditioning volunteered to repair the refrigeration unit, Kawakami said.
Landowner Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. offered to repair the office trailer at no charge, and Island Landscaping stepped in to cut up the eucalyptus tree and remove a large, century-old tree also threatening to fall, she said.
About $900 in online donations also poured in, including $20 from a person in Norway.
"We’re just doing really well," Kawakami said. "It’s just amazing how our community is. I’m actually feeling very blessed and loved by this whole situation."