Letters | 8-12-14

Aloha reigns at Waimea stores before storm

I was fortunate to be born on Hawaii Island. I have watched over the years the big corporate stores come in and wipe out small local businesses. There was a voracious need for more. I watched the sad disappearance of all the little stores along with the beautiful people who worked in them and the wonderful feeling of their care.

I have always shopped locally as much as possible in Waimea — KTA, Ace Hardware and Kamuela Liquor. While preparing for this storm, these wonderful local businesses put important items such as water on sale. Extra staff was called in to help. I wish I could have filmed the preparation shopping in the stores. Friends and families hugging and kissing, store staff helping elders in any way they needed.

This is a good time to remember why we need to support locally owned businesses. Corporate America does not know how to take care of us. We need to cultivate the relationships that will allow us as a community to get through the hard times with true concern.

Healani Keohuloa

Waimea