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The Maui News
The Spirit of Liberty Foundation, a San Diego, California-based nonprofit, has a long history of supporting victims of disasters.
In December 2023, the foundation created "A Magical Maui Christmas" event for the families who lost their home and possessions in the tragic wildfire. Santa and Mrs. Claus attended to create a magical, memorable atmosphere for families to enjoy holiday surprises and goodwill, and of course gave hundreds of gifts and toys to the children.
The Foundation is currently working with the Lahaina community leaders and created a preliminary design for the community to consider to honor the resilience and rebirth of the community after the devastating fires last year, with the creation of "The Maui Memorial Monument."
The design was created by working with Kordell C.L Kekoa, Hawaii's beloved spiritual leader, and with internationally renowned monument designers.
Importantly, the design features the August 8th date, with the powerful Hawaiian words "Hohulu" (resilience) and "Hanau Hou" (rebirth), with stars symbolically rising towards the heavens, the top has a singular star "Hokupa'a," meaning "steadfast star," as indigenous Hawaiian's relied on this star to find their way about the ocean and return home. The base features an etched traditional Hawaiian lei.
The Spirit of Liberty Foundation is reaching out to the local Lahaina and Maui community members to offer their heartfelt assistance to offer the community a positive Memorial as well as to explore appropriate locations for placement.
Additionally, the Foundation has raised over $157,000 for the Lahaina Yacht Club which was burned to the ground during the Maui wildfires. These funds helped support the desperately affected employees of the LYC and will also be used to rebuild the Club.
The Spirit of Liberty Foundation has a long history of developing programs to support victims of disasters such Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, the Paradise fire in California and the Boulder fires in Colorado which gave over 700,000 families the magic and spirit of Christmas which they would not have had. The Foundation is also currently working with the House of Ukraine on "Operation Teddy Bear Aid" which will provide Ukrainian children with the comfort of a Teddy Bear, with love from America.
The Spirit of Liberty Foundation provides their assistance on a pro-bono basis.