Mālama Kula invites the community to “Manaʻo on the Mountain” potluck on June 1

As part of their quarterly “Manaʻo on the Mountain” Community Potluck series, the community-led nonprofit Mālama Kula will host Rose Medeiros on June 1 for a talk on the history of Holy Ghost Church, Waiakoa, and stories from Kula throughout the years.

“So many of us drive past these places every day without really knowing the stories behind them,” said Kyle Ellison, Executive Director for Mālama Kula. “Our goal with these events is to give residents a chance to slow down, learn something about the place we call home, and get to know our friends and neighbors.”

Formed in the wake of the 2023 Kula fire, Mālama Kula is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit led by residents in the Kula burn zone to foster community, provide service and support, and empower, educate, inform, and nurture the community of Kula.

Over the last three years, Mālama Kula has powered more than 35,000 physical labor hours to help neighbors in the fire’s aftermath, working on 245 properties across Kula to reduce fire fuels, mitigate erosion, manage green waste, help residents establish defensible space, and clear land of invasive species such as black wattle, fireweed, thistle, and castor bean. The organization also hosts nearly three dozen community events per year — work days, volunteer mobilizations, green waste drives, community potlucks and educational gatherings — that have become a cornerstone of community building and healing for the Kula community.

Mālama Kula’s Mana‘o on the Mountain quarterly potlucks are geared toward building a more resilient community through sharing stories and strengthening community connection. It’s one piece of the organization’s broader community events series, which also includes regular community work days, its “Wine & Wattle” gatherings, and monthly kūpuna talk-story sessions.

Every event features a guest speaker who presents on a topic with some sort of connection to the Kula community, and attendees are asked to bring a dish, drink, or something to share with neighbors.

“When it comes to disaster preparedness and recovery, building that foundation of community trust—whether that’s having your neighbor’s phone number, knowing their name, or just feeling comfortable enough to walk next door and check on them—is everything,” said Ellison. “When an emergency hits and minutes matter, those are the people who are going to be closest to you, and that bond is something you can’t build overnight.”

The event takes place Monday, June 1, from 5 to 7 p.m. at 40 Kualono Place in Kula. Interested participants can register online or RSVP to malamakula@gmail.com.