ROCKPORT and BELFAST — In a show of support for Hawaiians affected by the tragic fires that swept through Maui last week, two Maine hospitals have embarked on a unique fundraiser.

Pen Bay Medical Center (PBMC) and Waldo County General Hospital (WCGH) are asking care team members to consider making a donation to any nonprofit relief agency working to help the people of Maui. This effort is on the honor system, and employees who make a donation are encouraged to wear a Hawaiian style shirt to work this Friday to show their support, according to a hospital news release.

“As a survivor of Hurricane Katrina, I know how much it matters to a community to receive this kind of support after a disaster,” said Paulette Kivette, RN, a nurse at PBMC who organized the Hawaiian Shirt Day event at both hospitals. “The entire country rallied around New Orleans after Katrina, and I wanted to do my part to rally around Maui now.”

Hurricane Katrina was one of the deadliest and costliest hurricanes in U.S. history, killing over 1,800 people and causing $125 billion in damage. Kivette was pregnant at the time of the hurricane and delivered her baby after taking shelter in the dorms at Mississippi State University.

The genesis for the Maui fundraiser came from Kivette’s work as a member of the hospitals’ Appreciation Committee. Long before the fires devastated Maui, the committee was looking for fun ideas to engage employees and create a sense of belonging.

“I suggested we end the summer with a Hawaiian shirt day because who doesn’t like to wear a Hawaiian shirt?” said Kivette, in the news release.

But when fires swept through Maui, destroying homes and claiming more than 100 lives, Kivette and the Appreciation Committee pivoted to turn the day into a show of support and solidarity.

Denise Needham, president of PBMC and WCGH, praised the efforts of Kivette and the Appreciation Committee.

“The first instinct of everyone in healthcare, and especially nurses, is to care for those in need,” said Needham. “I’m so proud of our Team for embracing this effort to help the people of Maui and especially Paulette for leading it.”

Kivette, who moved from New Orleans to Maine two years ago, said she hopes no one ever again has to experience the likes of the Maui fires. But, she said, having gone through Katrina herself, she knows she will find a way to offer a helping hand.

About Pen Bay Medical Center

Pen Bay Medical Center is part of MaineHealth, a not-for-profit integrated health system consisting of eight local hospital systems, a comprehensive behavioral healthcare network, diagnostic services, home health agencies, and more than 1,600 employed and independent physicians working together through an Accountable Care Organization. With more than 19,000 employees, MaineHealth is the largest health system in northern New England and provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. For more information, please visit pbmc.org.

Waldo County General Hospital

Waldo County General Hospital is part of MaineHealth, a not-for-profit integrated health system consisting of eight local hospital systems, a comprehensive behavioral healthcare network, diagnostic services, home health agencies, and more than 1,600 employed and independent physicians working together through an Accountable Care Organization. With more than 19,000 employees, MaineHealth is the largest health system in northern New England and provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. For more information, please visit wcgh.org.