Pacific Media Group Launches Program Honoring Hometown Heroes in Maui County

Pacific Media Group in partnership with Maui Health has launched a Hometown Heroes in Maui County program that recognizes everyday heroes in the community.

Hometown Heroes honors those in our community who go above and beyond to help provide some sense of normalcy, security, love and protection during these very trying times.

“Through this COVID-19 pandemic we’ve seen many members of our community work hard to not only meet any individual challenges they may face each day, but also step up to help others. They have shown true aloha spirit, compassion, and utmost acts of giving,” said Sherri Grimes, Vice President and General Manager with Maui Radio Operations at Pacific Media Group.

“Whether through donations of food or other supplies, volunteering to assist those in need, or even being dedicated to serving others and sacrificing their own health and safety in their current roles as frontline essential workers, these heroes deserve to be recognized and thanked,” said Grimes.

The program provides a platform for individuals to show their gratitude for any of their friends, family members, or even strangers, who have made a difference in the lives of others.

Nominations to the Hometown Heroes program can be made by visiting one of Pacific Media Group’s websites or Maui Health’s website and filling out the nomination form. Those who submit nominations will need to provide a brief paragraph explaining why they are nominating the individual and specify what they did and continue to do for the community.

Each week, a Hometown Hero is chosen based on outstanding service, giving, compassion or other benefit to the community.  Selections are made each Wednesday. Nominees that are not selected in the week will be automatically rolled over to be entered into the following week’s pool, until the campaign ends.

Individuals identified as Hometown Heroes under the program are featured in an on-air interview and receive a certificate and gift.  The program is supported by Maui Health all Pacific Media Group platforms, including its six Maui radio stations–KPOA 93.5 FM; KLHI “HI92” 92.5 FM; KJKS 99.9 “Kiss” FM; KJMD “Da Jam” 98.3 FM; KNUI “K-Country” 550 AM (106.1 FM); and KMVI “ESPN” 900 AM (102.5 FM).

The program’s first recipient was Carolyn Caries who has made and given away nearly 1,000 masks to friends, family and people in need.  She was nominated by her husband Eddie who said, “My wife, is a take charge, get it done, crafty, organizer type of person who can’t sit on her hands when she sees a need. So, she decided to sew some masks for us, family and friends, but the need was greater than just a few masks, to keep herself busy and lessen her worry, she continues to sew masks and give them away to people for free.”

The Week 2 Hometown Hero recipient was Mulligans on The Blue, located in Wailea.  The restaurant was nominated by Brianna VandenEykel, RN who expressed appreciation for the eatery’s efforts to feed the community during drive-through events and “keeping the community together and spirits up by offering drive-in movies with take-out from their restaurant, and now, starting to do drive-in concerts too.”

The program started in September and runs for a full year, concluding in Sept. 2021.

To nominate your Hometown Hero, visit Pacific Media Group or Maui Health.

Pacific Media Group is a Hawaiʻi-based media company with offices in Kahului, O‘ahu, Kauaʻi, Hilo and Kona. PMG owns and operates 20 radio stations PMGHawaii.com, MauiNow.com, BigIslandNow.com, HawaiiAirportAdvertising.com and multiple website, app and digital radio products.