Goodfellow Bros. and Lt. Governor Distribute Fans at Maui Schools

Sunny Day. File photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

A total of 100 fans were donated today to middle and intermediate public schools as part of the “Keep Our Keiki Cool” program initiated by Goodfellow Brothers and Lieutenant Governor Shan Tsutsui.

The donation comes as Kahului Airport set a record high temperature of 94 degrees on Aug. 20, 2015, breaking the old record of 92 set for the same day in 2013.

Temperatures in Kahului also tied record highs on four other days this month including the following dates:

• Friday, Aug. 28, 2015: The temperature was tied with the 92 degree record set for the same day in 2006.
• Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2015: The temperature tied the old record of 93 degrees set for the same day in 1984.
• Friday, Aug. 21, 2015:  The temperature tied the old record of 94 set for the same day om 1951.
• Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015: The temperature tied the old record of 93 set for the same day in 1977.

“Teaching and learning is difficult when temperatures rise in the classroom,” said Tsutsui in a press release announcement. “I thought this would be an excellent way I can pitch in to help create a conducive environment for our students and educators,” said Tsutsui.

“This project was a great way to support our community and ensure that our students and teachers are comfortable in our classrooms,” said Chad Goodfellow, president of Goodfellow Bros.

The two joined school administrators at Maui Waena Intermedate School in Kahului to kick off the donation campaign.

The donation is just the first step of the project to get more fans to Maui schools. Lt. Governor Tsutsui also launched a fundraising campaign on the gofundme crowd funding website to encouraging businesses and community support in the form of monetary donations.

The Lt. Governor also plans to ask the Board of Education to consider a modification to the school calendar.

According to the announcement, Tsutsui proposes that the school year start in late August rather than July, “in order to avoid having students and teachers in classrooms during the hottest time of the year.”