As relief and recovery efforts continue for those affected by the wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui, Northern California businesses are trying to help.Kau Kau, a relatively new Hawaiian restaurant in Sacramento, is offering a limited-edition special cocktail right now called the Sake Spritzer. Kau Kau owner Amanda Bridger said $2 from every purchase of the drink would go to the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund. In the past week, more than 100 Sake Spritzers were sold.“It’s gratifying to hear that in our own little, tiny way, we can help in a meaningful way for those people who are really impacted by the fires,” Bridger said. “We’re happy to help out wherever we can.”Bridger has family members who live in Hawaii, including Maui, so the devastation caused by the recent wildfires hits close to home.“It’s hard to imagine that somebody that you’re related to and you care about is going through something so horrible,” Bridger said. “It’s wild. I mean, you hope that nothing like this will ever happen.”The Sake Spritzer will be available through the end of this week, but Bridger said she and the Kau Kau staff could extend the offer if sales continue to be strong.Local sushi chain Mikuni is also raising money for Maui. They re-launched their Rescue Roll, a special sushi roll, over the weekend, and a Mikuni spokesperson told KCRA 3 that in just the first four days of the promotion, Mikuni raised $20,000. Mikuni owner Taro Arai said 100% of the proceeds are going to the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund.“I don’t want to make a profit. This is all for charity,” Arai said. “I don’t want to see anybody suffering, losing their homes and lives and their family members. Every time I see that, I want to do something.”Arai said he first launched the Rescue Roll in 2011 to raise funds after a tsunami hit his home country of Japan. Arai happened to visit Maui last month and specifically ate at different eateries in Lahaina, one of the areas of the island hardest hit by the wildfires.“Now, I see them all gone. It was devastating. But at the same time, I said, you know what, this is a time we can do something, so we asked people in Sacramento, again, to buy these Rescue Rolls,” Arai said.Arai said he didn’t expect to raise thousands of dollars so quickly, but he was pleasantly surprised. He said it will be exciting to see the final total once the promotion ends.“The community is just amazing,” Arai said.The Rescue Roll will be available through Aug. 27 at all nine Mikuni locations across the Sacramento region.
As relief and recovery efforts continue for those affected by the wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui, Northern California businesses are trying to help.
Kau Kau, a relatively new Hawaiian restaurant in Sacramento, is offering a limited-edition special cocktail right now called the Sake Spritzer. Kau Kau owner Amanda Bridger said $2 from every purchase of the drink would go to the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund. In the past week, more than 100 Sake Spritzers were sold.
“It’s gratifying to hear that in our own little, tiny way, we can help in a meaningful way for those people who are really impacted by the fires,” Bridger said. “We’re happy to help out wherever we can.”
Bridger has family members who live in Hawaii, including Maui, so the devastation caused by the recent wildfires hits close to home.
“It’s hard to imagine that somebody that you’re related to and you care about is going through something so horrible,” Bridger said. “It’s wild. I mean, you hope that nothing like this will ever happen.”
The Sake Spritzer will be available through the end of this week, but Bridger said she and the Kau Kau staff could extend the offer if sales continue to be strong.
Local sushi chain Mikuni is also raising money for Maui. They re-launched their Rescue Roll, a special sushi roll, over the weekend, and a Mikuni spokesperson told KCRA 3 that in just the first four days of the promotion, Mikuni raised $20,000. Mikuni owner Taro Arai said 100% of the proceeds are going to the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund.
“I don’t want to make a profit. This is all for charity,” Arai said. “I don’t want to see anybody suffering, losing their homes and lives and their family members. Every time I see that, I want to do something.”
Arai said he first launched the Rescue Roll in 2011 to raise funds after a tsunami hit his home country of Japan. Arai happened to visit Maui last month and specifically ate at different eateries in Lahaina, one of the areas of the island hardest hit by the wildfires.
“Now, I see them all gone. It was devastating. But at the same time, I said, you know what, this is a time we can do something, so we asked people in Sacramento, again, to buy these Rescue Rolls,” Arai said.
Arai said he didn’t expect to raise thousands of dollars so quickly, but he was pleasantly surprised. He said it will be exciting to see the final total once the promotion ends.
“The community is just amazing,” Arai said.
The Rescue Roll will be available through Aug. 27 at all nine Mikuni locations across the Sacramento region.