Carla and Jim Means moved to Persimmon Ridge in 2007. Very quickly they established their network and built a close circle of friends who are always there to help out when tough times hit. Knowing this history and commitment to friends, it is no surprise that Carla and Jim would reach out to their other close circle of neighbors and friends. Neighbors who lost everything in Maui, Hawaii. 

The Means have been going to this part of Hawaii for almost as long as they have lived in Persimmon Ridge. Their annual trips to the 50th state are spent at their Marriott timeshare on Maui. Carla describes the condo as their “happy place.” The staff greets us with a hearty “Welcome Home.” For this trip, daughter, Michelle, and granddaughter Kylie accompanied them. 

Carla and Jim were concerned about their friends in Maui and how much the fire took from them. Without hesitation, Jim and Carla made a decision to spend the 2023 vacation sharing their time supporting the needs of their community in Maui, while enjoying another beautiful vacation in the islands. Jim brought 30 new hearing aids from his business, Hears To You, to gift to anyone needing to replace ones lost in the fire.  

For three of their seven days, Jim tested and fitted survivors with new hearing aides. One of the people Jim was able to help was a pastor who not only lost his home, but also his parish. Jim also worked with the Marriott hotel to let the hotel know that they wanted to donate services and free hearing aides to people who had lost their devices in the fire. With Marriott’s support, they found 4 more people who needed help. 

With the time Jim and Carla had to enjoy the Island, they combined it with looking for ways to find people who needed help. From swimming at the hotel to a catamaran tour to go whale watching and snorkeling, the Means continued to look for people needing their help. Daughter Michelle met a couple that were homeless and had lost everything. The woman told Michelle that her boyfriend needed hearing aides. So, Jim tested and fitted him.

The Means have a new “calling to serve” their community in their Maui neighborhood. The week in December ‘23 and the significant need they found for help, has them planning for a trip back to Maui in March of 2025. Jim will clean and retube any of the aides he provided during the 2023 trip and look for others who need his services. Carla was touched by the response from those that Jim helped. She describes the experience “ … I felt like we were providing an added ministry to those in need. It was a very moving experience.”

Carla offers the following recommendation to others who might want to go to Maui and help. “ The burned area is so devastating. When talking with the fire survivors, you’re not suppose to bring the fire up. It’s continues to be just too hard/hurtful to talk about it right now. The losses are all around you and so great. If you go, be generous. With tips, with spending money and donating time, talent and treasure. There are places on the Island that tourists can go to help those in need. Or, you can bring some toiletries to pass out. So many homeless with nothing, often basic items are the most helpful.”

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“We felt a strong need to serve, to support and to give. Jim felt a strong desire to give back to our neighbors and friends in Maui. There is so much to be done….”