My name is Greg Kamisato, but many of you know me as "Kami". I have been teaching at Waialua High School for 35+ years and have taught two generations of Waialua and Haleiwa families in this wonderful community. At this point in my life, I could not imagine teaching anywhere else. My relationships with the people who live here are solid, and my three kids graduated from Waialua High School. Although I did not grow up in the Waialua/Haleiwa area, the people of the North Shore will always be a huge part of my life, and Waialua feels like home.

The funds are being raised for relief efforts in the Waialua/Haleiwa community. ALL money will go to what the community needs, as determined by a reputable charity: The Hawaii Community Foundation. Their mission is to inspire generosity, advocate for equity, forge connections, and invest in our community to create a better Hawai‘i. In this case, your donations will help the Foundation continue its vital programs, such as:

There are many GoFundMe accounts for individuals and their families. I would like to address the needs of the Waialua-Haleiwa community as a whole. Relief organizations say that money is one of the primary resources for helping communities in a disaster. I am not an expert at disaster relief, and I am trusting the Hawaii Community Foundation to make the best use of funds for the people of the North Shore. In relative terms, $5000 is a small amount, but anything helps, and the people of the North Shore are grateful and appreciative of any assistance given.

Many of you have probably donated, and I am grateful for your generosity. In this fundraiser, a donation of $10, $20 is just as important as a $100 gift. Please donate what you can so the Waialua-Haleiwa areas can repair, rebuild, and move on.

It was heartwarming to see that in times of need, the Waialua-Haleiwa communities come together regardless of where they live. At the end of the day, this North Shore community becomes a part of you, and no matter where you go or where you live, as my daughter (who graduated from Waialua High School, as did all my kids) says, you "can never forget your roots and where you came from."