Hometown Heroes: Realtors donate PPE, supplies to Hawaii Island schools

Editor’s note: Each Wednesday, West Hawaii Today is publishing a story about individuals, groups or organizations that have helped make life better for others in our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hawaii Realtors donated a variety of personal protective equipment (PPE) to schools throughout the state in early October as part of the trade organization’sAction Day.

Each year, Realtors hosts an annual Realtors Action Day (RAD) event to assist schools in need. Since 2018, RAD volunteers have completed school improvement projects for 18 Hawaii schools. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RAD had to cancel most in-person volunteer projects this year.

“With some students slowly phasing back to in-person classes after fall break, we decided to use those funds to donate PPE to our RAD partner schools,” said Jack Legal, president of Hawaii Realtors.

On Hawaii Island, some 900 face masks and 100 face shields were distributed to students at Konawaena Elementary School, and 1,000 gloves and three dozen bottles of disinfectant spray to Keaau Elementary School. In addition, Hawaii Realtors partnered with Target to donate sanitizing wipes to both schools.

In total, Hawaii Realtors donated and distributed thousands of masks, disinfectant, hand sanitizer, wipes, touchless dispensers and gloves to 10 elementary, intermediate and high schools on five islands.

“We worked with each school to identify safety supplies needed, and sourced in-demand PPE and sanitizing products based on school size,” Legal said. “Our schools need community support more than ever before, and Hawaii Realtors want to be there to help them thrive.”

Hawaii Realtors is a professional trade organization founded in 1967 with more than 10,000 members involved in all aspects related to the sale, purchase, or exchange of real estate in Hawaii. For more information, visit.hawaiirealtors.com.

Know a Hometown Hero who should be highlighted next Wednesday? It can be anybody, from a youngster doing good for the community, to a professional helping with the COVID-19 pandemic, or even a kupuna! Please send your nominations to cjensen@westhawaiitoday.com with the subject: Hometown Heroes Nomination. Please include the hero’s name, contact information and what makes them a hero.