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News
May 11 2026
by Mike McHugh
We wrapped up our first week of working with MDS in Lahaina on Thursday and made a lot of notable progress on several homes in just four short days! The students learned a lot of new construction skills, gained confidence using an assortment of power tools, and made sure to cool off at the beach nearly every day after work. In the photos below you’ll see some hard working students making a difference.
Wednesday morning, before going to the various job sites we met with Keʻeaumoku Kapu from Nā ʻAikāne o Maui for a cultural sensitivity training. This is a required seminar that all MDS volunteers attend during their first week in Lahaina. Keʻeaumoku gave an informative presentation that provided the students with a better understanding of the cultural significance of the Lahaina community and the work that is going into restoring Lahaina to be better than it was before the fires. For example, he talked about how the local school was supposed to have been relocated before the fires but the move was delayed. The school was destroyed during the fires so it will now be rebuilt in a better location.
Friday morning, instead of working on MDS projects, we traveled to nearby Olowalu to learn about another organization that is working to rehabilitate the land by restoring native and introduced tress and landscaping to the area. We spent time weeding around trees and then using a bucket brigade, placed mulch around them to help retain moisture. Ua Maji passionately shared with us the importance of caring for the āina and its connection to all living things. We also enjoyed meeting Ua’s faithful companion, Joy. Téjè Roy then took us around for a tour of the many important native and introduced plants and trees that they are growing. We smelled and tasted some of the fruits for a fully immersive experience. After a packed lunch and some free time in the afternoon, we went out for a reasonably priced dinner at a locally recommended restaurant in Lahaina and then popped over to watch a colorful sunset on the beach. The weekend was spent exploring the area’s many shopping opportunities and resting up for the second week of work!
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