‘Our ‘ohana is their ‘ohana’

LIHU‘E — More than 400 people — associates from the three Marriott Vacations Kaua‘i Resorts — flowed steadily through the parking lot at the Kaua‘i Veterans Center, Wednesday to receive their allotment of groceries during the associate giveaway.

Happy banter of “We miss you!” “I hope we’ll see you, soon!” and more were exchanged by volunteers from the Westin Princeville, the Marriott’s Kaua‘i Lagoons-Kalanipu‘u, and the Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club and their associates as the line of cars snaked through the parking lot while being loaded with groceries that included a bag of rice, a case of water, frozen chicken, 2.5 dozen eggs, butter, turkey slices, Anahola Granola, assorted fruits and vegetables, toilet paper, paper towels, and more.

“What can we do for the associates?” Denise Wardlow, manager of the Westin Princeville said. “That was the question the Owners Association Board members, and Owners thought about for the past several weeks. We at the various properties also thought about this.”

Wardlow said the Owners Association and Owners approved more than $60,000 to get food and groceries for the approximately 425 associates from the three properties who have been laid off due to closures created from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The date for when associates can start returning to their jobs is still uncertain and remaining influenced by the loosening of travel restrictions that will signal the return of visitors to the island.

“These are people who love our island,” Wardlow said. “I get letters on a daily basis from Owners who always ask about the associates — how are they doing? Are they Healthy?. These owners come to Kaua‘i regularly and this is truly their home away from home, and all of our resorts’ ‘ohana is their ‘ohana. It is important to our owners that our teams are taken care of.”

A volunteer guiding cars through the distribution line could not help but smile.

“This is a real community day,” he said. “A happy day!”