WAILEA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BRINGING A MELE KALIKIMAKA TO MAUI’S KEIKI
DECEMBER 1-21, 2015
WAILEA, MAUI, HAWAII – Once again the Wailea Community Association is taking the reins to provide Santa with some much needed kokua and bring a smile to the faces of Maui’s many keiki and families this holiday season.
“Over the past 12 years our annual Keiki Kalikimaka Toy Drive has been extremely successful, thanks to the generosity of the residents and guests of Wailea Resort. We are very proud to announce that in our 13th year we again will be partnering with the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of Maui, reaching out to the growing number of Maui’s children and families in need.” said Bud Pikrone, General Manager for the Wailea Community Association. “We are collecting NEW, UN-WRAPPED toys starting today, through December 20th at the Wailea Fire Station and at our Wailea Community Association office, located in Hotel Wailea.”
Paul Tonnessen, Executive Director of Friends of the Children’s Justice Center notes that “without the continuous support from people like Wailea Community Association, it would be difficult for the Friends to make the holidays a little brighter for the children in need in Maui County. We have and continue to enrich the lives of the children of abuse and neglect year after year through these efforts. It is with great appreciation to our community members for making sure that no child we serve goes without during the holidays. Mahalo to Wailea Resort Association for continuing to show all of us at the Friends the true meaning of giving.”
All toys collected will be gathered by our volunteer elves and distributed to over 25 different Human Services agencies in Maui County. Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of Maui (a private, non-profit organization supporting the Children’s Justice Center of Maui) receive requests from many agencies year round and last year provided over 1,600 children with Christmas gifts. Recipients include Maui Family Support Services, Child and Family Services, Women Helping Women Maui, Child Welfare Services, Malama Family Recovery, and the list continues to grow”.
“Many groups have been creative in their collecting of toys, whether an inter-office holiday pot-luck, where employees brought a child’s gift to donate, or homeowners collecting toys at their association holiday parties” said Pikrone, “This is a time to come together as a community to share aloha, and provide Maui’s Keiki a smile on Christmas morning.”
“While we are always very happy to get any gift that someone wants to give for children of any age, the newborn to 2 year old age group tends to be the ones that are in need this year” said Tonnessen. “We can also use gift cards ($20 or less please) which are very well received by the teenage group”.
Pikrone also noted that “Monetary donations are greatly appreciated, as this will allow us to purchase educational toys or gift cards in addition to the toys collected. Checks can be made payable to WCA (indicate Keiki Kalikimaka Toy Drive on your check).