Hawaii Club of North Carolina to host annual luau In Garner to support Maui wildfire relief

GARNER, N.C. (WTVD) — Brian McKay might live in Garner, but if home is where the heart is, home is Hawaii.

His mom was originally from outside Hilo, and he and his wife make a point to visit the islands as often as they can.

McKay loves the islands so much, he’s a leader of Ka Pu’uwai O Hawai’i, the Hawaii Club of North Carolina, which has over 1,000 members on Facebook.

For 18 years, McKay and his wife have hosted an annual luau each fall in his backyard. This year, though, it’s taking on a more important meaning. As the death toll continues to rise in the Maui wildfires that destroyed Lahaina, the luau will be a place people can connect as they grieve.

ALSO SEE: Death toll from Maui wildfire reaches 93, making it the deadliest in the US in more than 100 years

“It’s going to be a big topic to talk about, the people that they are still praying for and looking for,” McKay said.

The luau will feature dancers, music, as well as a traditional pig roasted in an imu that McKay has dug in his backyard.

He hopes it will also be a call to action. They’re selling 250 tickets for the events, and items including plants at the luau will also be sold to raise money for relief efforts.

The annual luau will be at McKay’s home in Garner on September 9.

Garner family on Maui vacation during destructive wildfires

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