Kona cyclists collect bikes and raise funds for Lāhainā friends following devastating wildfire
Participants in the Aug. 20, 2023 Bike for Lāhainā are pictured here in Kona, Hawai’i. (Image courtesy of George Ramos).- Participants in the Aug. 20, 2023 Bike for Lāhainā are pictured here in Kona, Hawai’i. (Image courtesy of George Ramos).
- Participants in the Aug. 20, 2023 Bike for Lāhainā are pictured here in Kona, Hawai’i. (Image courtesy of George Ramos).
- Participants in the Aug. 20, 2023 Bike for Lāhainā are pictured here in Kona, Hawai’i. (Image courtesy of George Ramos).
- Participants in the Aug. 20, 2023 Bike for Lāhainā are pictured here in Kona, Hawai’i. (Image courtesy of George Ramos).
- Participants in the Aug. 20, 2023 Bike for Lāhainā are pictured here in Kona, Hawai’i. (Image courtesy of George Ramos).
- Participants in the Aug. 20, 2023 Bike for Lāhainā are pictured here in Kona, Hawai’i. (Image courtesy of George Ramos).
- Participants in the Aug. 20, 2023 Bike for Lāhainā are pictured here in Kona, Hawai’i. (Image courtesy of George Ramos).
The Big Island cycling community hopes to fill a 20-foot container with bicycles to ship to West Maui for children who survived the wildfire in Lāhainā that razed Front Street to the ground and killed at least 114 people.
The Bike for Lāhainā collection drive, started by Bike Works Kona, kicked off Sunday where they collected 20 bikes and $4,000 donations, which will go toward buying child bicycles.
Bike Works Kona manager Farran Hart also organized an 8-mile bike ride early in the day where 50 people came out, clad in Maui’s color of pink, to raise awareness to the blaze that ripped through the West Maui town on Aug. 8.
Hart believes bikes will help bring joy back to the lives of those suffering right now on the neighbor island.
“They need as much kindness over there as humanly possible,” Hart said. “Of course people need food and clothing, but they also could use help getting back to a state of normalcy and cycling is a part of that.”
Grant Miller, the owner of Bike Works Kona, Bike Works Beach & Sport, and Bike Works Mauka, believes a bicycle is important for the mental health of keiki, especially those traumatized by the blaze.
Miller also believes the people of Lāhainā could use bicycles as a way to get around if they lost their cars, and said Sunday’s event shined a light on the selflessness of the West Hawai’i community.
Aside from the bike donations, both Miller and Hart didn’t expect the large turnout for Sunday’s bike ride.
Thinking only 10 people would show up, Hart said the number of riders kept growing.
“A lot of driver’s were like, ‘Wow! That is that big group of bikes doing on the road!'” Miller said. “The energy was really positive and people really just wanted to help.”
Sunday’s event also launched Bike Works’ efforts to support GoFundMe campaigns for two Maui bike shops that were destroyed in the fire – Maui Sunriders Bike Co., and West Maui Cycles.
To donate or support the fundraisers, go to the GoFundMe campaigns of Robertson and Boote, and for more information about the Bikes For Lāhainā collection drive or the Ride For Lāhainā, call 808-326-2453.
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