“It’s crazy, because even though 14 years have gone by, it’s still very, very difficult. So we come and we do these events because we just beg people to make the right decisions. Do not drink and drive. We’re just asking that everybody has a place on their family table every year. So please, please, do not make a decision and change somebody else’s life,” said Andrea Maniago who lost her 16-year-old son Kaio Fukushima to a drunk driver in 2009.
Maui Managing Director, Kekuhaupio “Keku” Akana, will retire from the County of Maui effective Dec. 31. He was Mayor Richard Bissen’s first cabinet appointment following the 2022 elections. In deciding to retire, Akana pointed to wanting to spend more time with his ʻohana including seven grandchildren.
A decline in donations this past year has presented significant challenges for Maui United Way; however, MUW continues to work to bridge the gap between available resources and the growing demand for assistance in the community.