Four Seasons Maui has King Kamehameha celebration, food drive

Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea honored the memory of King Kamehameha I with a drive-thru celebration and food drive for its over 800 employees June 11. The festivities commenced with an oli and lei draping ceremony in honor of Kamehameha the Great led by the resort’s Hawaiian Cultural Ambassador “Aunty Wendy” Tuivaioge. Following, the resort’s in-house musicians welcomed a line-up of renowned Maui musicians including Na Hoku Hanohano-winner Ikaika Blackburn and Na Hoku Hanohano-nominee Kaulike Pescaia. Dancers from Kumu Kamaka Kukona’s Halau O Ka Hanu Lehua joined the drivethru celebration as well.

The celebration included gifting employees with groceries to aid in some of the need that has been caused by the resort’s temporary suspension of operations in late March.

The resort’s gift boxes included contents for a summer barbecue: 4.5 pounds of flat iron steak, Da Kine Steak Rub, pineapple, watermelon, peppers, corn, zucchini, onions and a bag of potatoes. For those vegetarian and vegan employees, the resort gifted alternative proteins. Leftover food from employees that wanted to pay their portion forward was donated to the Maui Food Bank.

The drive-thru celebration was designed to observe social-distancing and gathering restrictions. Artists and dancers performed according to a staggered schedule. Employees respectfully kept the flow of traffic moving, while still getting into the spirit by dressing in aloha wear and bringing lei to honor King Kamehameha I. The full day of events was streamed onto the employee Facebook page, so staff could enjoy the whole line-up virtually.

“Throughout this pandemic, every time we have the opportunity to engage with our employees — whether it be phone calls, texts, Zooms, or emails — it’s driven by optimism and care,” said General Manager Marc Bromley. “Today’s celebration was heartwarming on many levels, but I especially want to thank the guest musicians and dancers that volunteered their time to create a special moment for our employees.”

The festivities commenced with an oli and lei draping ceremony in honor of Kamehameha the Great led by the resort’s Hawaiian Cultural Ambassador “Aunty Wendy” Tuivaioge. The celebration included gifting employees with groceries to aid in some of the need that has been caused by the resort’s temporary suspension of operations in late March. The drive-thru celebration was designed to observe social distancing and gathering restrictions. Employees respectfully kept the flow of traffic moving, while still getting into the spirit by dressing in aloha wear and bringing lei to honor King Kamehameha I. The full day of events was streamed onto the employee Facebook page, so staff could enjoy the entire event virtually.