CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — The death toll of the Maui wildfires has reached 96 people, meaning it is the deadliest wildfire in more than a century in United States. That is only expected to rise as the search for missing people continues.
In Castle Rock, Chelsey Solemsaas has a deep connection with Lahaina. One of her best friends, who she met while attending college in Hawaii, was born and raised in Lahaina. Her name is Keisha Pagdilao, and she currently lives on Oahu.
“She couldn't sleep. She couldn't eat. It was almost over 24 hours where she didn't know if her family was safe or not. She just knew that the fires were happening and she couldn't reach anyone," Solemsaas said, explaining that cell towers are destroyed and it is difficult to reach people on Maui.
Pagdilao's twin sister is a firefighter in Lahaina.
"She never cries. She is like the most level-headed. She was meant to be a firefighter," Solemsaas said. "But, she was crying. And she told Keisha, Lahaina's gone, everything's gone. And then because of the fires, the phone cut out. Just completely lost.”
RELATED: Here's how you can help Maui residents amid deadly wildfires
The family lost everything in the fire, including an extended family member. Hearing what one of her best friend's family was experiencing made Solemsaas feel helpless, and she had to do something. Her support came in the form of her business Coffee Sarap, and a drink called the Lahaina Latte. Half of the proceeds from the latte will be donated directly to the Pagdilao family.
“I had a customer come up to me the next day, and she was part of the Marshall Fire. And she gave me cash, like, just right up front, and she goes, 'Is there any way you can get this to your friend?' And I said, 'Oh, absolutely. Like, thank you so much,'" Solemsaas recalled. “'People donated a bunch of stuff to us from the Marshall Fire.' She goes, 'I got an instant pot but I have no kitchen to plug it into. I needed money, not things.' And so I thought that was just such a powerful statement in itself.”
The Pagdilao family GoFundMe reached half of their goal, and Denver7 verified the fundraiser through GoFundMe.
A spokesperson with GoFundMe said more than $19 million has been raised to help Maui through the website. The funds are meant to directly help families, businesses and communities in need. The money has come from more than 100,000 people throughout the United States, and 100 countries have donated. The average donation amount is $125, according to GoFundMe.
Solemsaas does not know when she woill stop donating proceeds from the Lahaina Latte to the Pagdilao family, or to people in Maui who need the support.
“It's going to take years for Lahaina to be rebuilt," Solemsaas said. "I don't see an end date.”
Donations are pouring into Maui, and many of the items are needed. However, money makes the biggest impact when it comes to rebuilding and supporting those who need it. It was something Lori Abbey learned last year following the Marshall Fire in Boulder County at the end of 2021.
“We gathered money, we gathered gift cards for King Soopers, gathered clothing items, and all sorts of things and people dropped them off," Abbey said. “What ended up happening is, people were just cleaning out their closets with old clothes, with things that they didn't want.”
RELATED: Avoiding a 'second disaster': What you should and shouldn't donate after the Marshall Fire
Abbey said the donations she helped organize ended up contributing to a 'second disaster,' which is when donations overwhelm a disaster area and divert attention away from other crucial tasks.
“Those items could have been used differently. They could have been given to charity directly. And then, people could have maybe given money to an organization that knew exactly what was needed, not to me," Abbey said, reflecting on initiative that had the best of intentions. “We could have done a lot better. We did great things. Our stuff went to many, many people. But it didn't go exactly to where we need it, who we needed to go to."
What Abbey experienced after the Marshall Fire drove home the importance of monetary donations following a natural disaster. She spent time researching where she should donate, and then ensured the organization was in good standing with the state.
Abbey's recommendations for finding a trusted organization for donations are first checking the non-profit organizations with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). She also looked at the suggested organizations from Hawaii's local government.
The governor of Hawaii provided the following recommendations for organizations where donations are accepted:
- Hawai‘i Community Foundation – Maui Strong Fund
- Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement – Kāko‘o Maui Fundraiser
- Maui United Way – Maui Fire Disaster Relief
In the same release, the governor's office linked a resource to assist people in researching charities before making donations.
Denver7 and our corporation, E.W. Scripps, are also helping to raise donations to directly support the victims of the wildfires that have devastated portions of Maui. Use the secure form below to give.