Residents Support Kamaka Air with Lei Drive

Earlier this month, Molokai residents came together to organize a lei drive in honor of Kamaka Air pilots Hiram deFries-Saronitman and Preston Kaluhiwa. Both young pilots were killed in a plane crash on Oahu on Dec. 17 while performing a training flight. Kamaka has been flying cargo to Molokai for over 25 years, and many Molokai community members have close ties to the cargo airline and its employees.

“We’re doing this to show our support and aloha for Kamaka,” explained U’i Lima, one of the organizers of the lei drive.

As essential workers, Kamaka Air employees only had one day off to mourn their colleagues, explained Lima. She hoped that the lei drive would be “a way to help them grieve.”

“We’re trying to support them in their grief,” she said, “and thank them for all that they’ve given to our community.”

With seven Molokai employees, Kamaka also works with Kaimomi Distributing on Molokai to do the critical work of bringing goods to Molokai.

The supportive efforts of Lima and the Molokai community did not go unnoticed by Kamaka staff.

“It caught me by surprise,” said Porter Hodgins, the Kamaka Air subcontractor for Molokai. “It was just really nice.”

Hodgins explained that it has been an extremely challenging time for Kamaka employees, as they grieve the loss of deFries-Saronitman and Kaluhiwa while continuing to perform their jobs.

“We’re trying to take care of the community and remember our pilots at the same time,” explained Hodgins, but he acknowledged that “it’s been hard to focus on work.”

The collection of over 50 lei were picked up by Kamaka pilots on Jan. 10 and flown over to Oahu to be placed on the memorial for the pilots which has formed at the Kamaka Air sign.

For Hodgins and Kamaka employees, the concerted effort of the community made a real difference.

“It’s beautiful that the whole community came together and appreciated all that Kamaka does for Molokai,” said Hodgins.