They Bring So Much to the Table: Celebrating Imua’s Volunteers

Some people show up when you ask for help. Imua’s volunteers have a habit of showing up before you even finish asking. They are the familiar faces checking people in at events, lending a hand behind the scenes, tackling projects around the Will Smith Imua Discovery Garden, helping keep things looking beautiful, pitching in at the front desk and stepping into countless other roles throughout the year. Sometimes they are front and center. More often, they are quietly making sure everything works.

This week Imua Family Services had a chance to turn the tables and do something for them. More than 20 of Imua’s dedicated volunteers gathered at the Imua Discovery Garden for a special Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, an opportunity to share some food, spend time together and, most importantly, give them a very big mahalo.

And there is a lot to be thankful for. Throughout the year, volunteers are woven into just about everything happening at Imua. They help bring major community events to life, including the annual Imua Gala, Keiki Halloween Festival, Keiki Holiday Festival, Be Reel Child & Youth Film Festival, Paddle Imua and Pedal Imua. They lend their time and talents to landscaping projects and upkeep around the Discovery Garden. And when an extra set of hands is needed somewhere unexpectedly, chances are a volunteer is ready to jump in.

But volunteering at Imua goes well beyond events. Volunteers also play important roles on the programmatic side of the organization, supporting programs like Nā Keiki O Emalia, Dream Imua, Play Imua and Camp Imua. Those opportunities can look very different from one another, from helping create meaningful experiences for children and families to sharing a skill, lending support or simply being another caring person willing to show up and be present. Together, these volunteers extend Imua’s reach into the community in ways both big and small.

It is difficult to put a number on that kind of generosity. Volunteer hours can be counted, but the impact of someone simply being willing to show up, pitch in and ask, “How can I help?” goes much further. Every task, whether it is helping hundreds of guests at a major event, supporting a child through one of Imua’s programs or spending a few hours working quietly behind the scenes, adds up to something pretty special.

This year’s luncheon also happened to fall on the International Day of Peace, making the gathering especially fitting. Earlier in the day, the Imua community gathered around the Peace Pole at the Imua Discovery Garden as part of a worldwide observance centered around the message, “May Peace Prevail on Earth.” Imua Inclusion Preschool keiki were asked a wonderfully simple question: What does peace mean to you? Their answers included hiking, nature, swimming and, very specifically, swimming in the ocean. Sometimes keiki have a way of getting right to the point.

In its own way, volunteerism carries a similar spirit. It is about community, connection and choosing to give a little bit of yourself to make something better for someone else. Imua’s volunteers come from different backgrounds, bring different talents and give their time in different ways, but they share something important: a willingness to be part of the Imua ohana and help create joyful experiences for Maui’s children and families.

The luncheon was just one afternoon and one small way to recognize something much bigger. To every volunteer who has planted, painted, decorated, checked in guests, moved tables, worked an event, supported a program, encouraged a child, cleaned up, set up, stayed late, arrived early or simply asked where they were needed next, this mahalo is for you.

Imua would not be Imua without our volunteers. And while lunch may have been on us this time, they are the ones who keep bringing so much to the table.

There’s always room for more helping hands in the Imua ohana, and signing up to volunteer with Imua Family Services is super easy. Take a look and discover how your time and talents can truly make a difference.