As you know, two months ago, wildfires destroyed the historic town of Lahaina on West Maui. The Maui fires killed 97 people, making them the deadliest U.S. wildfires in at least 100 years, and affected 2,200 structures. Recovery has not been easy. Logistical challenges of the island have complicated cleanup, many children are still not back in school, and at this writing, there were still more than 7,700 people staying at 40 Red Cross temporary housing locations around Maui. This week residents of Lahaina have been petitioning Hawaii’s governor to delay opening West Maui to tourists, giving them more time to recover and heal.
The big-hearted people at Bonzer Shack in Kill Devil Hills are doing something to help the people of Lahaina – and you can help them do it. All you need to do is come out to Bonzer Shack this Sunday, October 8, enjoy a beer and some tasty food and buy a raffle ticket.
Bonzer Shack Manager Jamie Rusticus says the event came about thanks to their rep at City Beverage, which is the local purveyor of Kona beer, a Hawaii-based brewery that distributes its beer widely on the mainland United States. Kona has partnered with United Way Maui and is encouraging Maui wildfire relief events throughout the entire country.
Bonzer Shack's back yard will come to life on Sunday for a fundraiser for Maui.
Bonzer being a beach town-based, surf-loving hangout makes it the perfect place to host such an event. Jamie and the Bonzer team jumped on the idea and came up with a fundraising event called Beaches Helping Beaches: A Luau Benefit for Maui. They’ve planned a great day of fun for all ages. Hot Sauce will be playing live music in the yard bar all afternoon, and there will be things for kids to do, like limbo and hula hoop contests with prizes in addition to Bonzer’s cornhole boards and yard games.
The Food & Drink
The full Bonzer Shack menu will be available, but there will also be Hawaiian-themed specials, including Musuvi (sushi rolls made with Spam), Kahlua pork sliders with grilled pineapple and traditional Hawaiian fresh tuna poke bowls. Kona Brewing beers of course (fun fact: Kona Big Wave is Bonzer owner Jon Kirchmeier’s favorite beer), Bonzer Mai Tais and a Hawaiian-themed shooter special will be on the drink menu, along with anything else you’re craving from the bar.
Thanks to local business donations, a bike, a surfboard and so much more will be raffled off on Sunday.
The Raffles
Jamie says more than two dozen local businesses have pitched in and donated goods to the raffles. The raffles will be in three categories. $5 tickets will be items that are worth up to $50. $10 tickets will be for items worth $50 to $100. $20 tickets will be for items that cost more than $100.
Some of the biggest items in the raffles are a Murray Ross surfboard worth more than $600, donated by Gale Force Glass; a beach cruiser from Bike Barn worth $325; a Kona Brewing Grizzly Cooler worth $400; and a WRV gift certificate worth $200. But that’s just a sampling of the prizes that are available.
Raffle tickets are on sale now, so you can stop by Bonzer anytime to purchase tickets or purchase them at the event on Sunday. Jamie says they’ll be drawing throughout the event, and you do not have to be present to win. She assures that 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit United Way Maui and the people of Lahaina. Bonzer will be adding a donation to whatever is earned by the raffles.
So come out and help the residents of a fellow beach town on Sunday. Bring your friends and spread the word.
You Should Go!
When: Sunday, October 8, 1 to 6 p.m.
Where: Bonzer Shack, 1200 S. Virginia Dare Trail, MP 8, Kill Devil Hills. This event will be held outside in Bonzer’s killer backyard, right along the beach road.
Cost: Free to attend. Food, drink and raffle tickets will be for sale.
More information: bonzershack.com, Event info here
About the Author Molly Harrison
Molly Harrison is managing editor at OneBoat, publisher of OuterBanksThisWeek.com. She moved to Nags Head in 1994 and since then has made her living writing articles and creating publications about the people, places and culture of the Outer Banks.
