DRAPER, Utah — It’s always a tough decision, Especially with so many different options.
“We have mango, Tiger’s Blood, banana, whatever you want,” said Mallhory Jones. “It’s the best thing ever!”
No matter how many flavors Jones offers at her shaved ice stand in Draper, though, Saturday was probably her easiest decision.
“You know, we saw the news and all the devastation and all those people are going through, and we decided that we needed to do something,” she said.
Mallhory Jones, owner of Hokulia Shave Ice. (KSL TV)
Her shop is called Hokulia Shave Ice, and even though it’s about 3000 miles away from Maui, she felt closer to the people there than ever. So, Jones donated all her proceeds Saturday to the Red Cross to help those in Maui affected by the wildfires.
“For us, it is important to just come together as family and as members of the same country and communities and just help each other,” Jones said.
And the Utah Red Cross said those donations certainly help.
“You know, we are only here because of donations from people all across Salt Lake City and Utah and the country,” said David Kenison.
David Kenison, from Orem, Utah, speaking to KSL TV about his experience over Zoom. (KSL TV)
Kenison is from Orem and is one of the Utah Red Cross volunteers who just got to Maui in the past couple of days to start helping.
“Our role in the disaster is a recovery role,” he said. “We call it shelter resident transition. We try to help those who are in the shelters find the next step in their life.”
Kenison, his wife, and others from Utah will be in Maui for at least three weeks to help. However, with the amount of devastation on the island, particularly in the Lahaina area, it will take longer than before there is any recovery.
#prayformaui sign on the Hokulia Shave Ice stand. (KSL TV)
Kenison figures you have to start somewhere.
“These people, some of them are deeply traumatized. They’ve seen horrible things, and some of them have lost family members. It is hard,” he said. “But we will help them the best we can to get them on their feet.”
It is also why so many people will do whatever they can to help. For Jones, that wasn’t an option.
“When you want to do the best for the community, just give the best of yourself,” she said.
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