Faces of
Philanthropy Fall 2006
Quarterly News from the Hawai‘i Community Foundation
A Passion for Saving Lives OUR MISSION We help people make a difference by inspiring the spirit of giving and by investing in people and solutions to benefit every island community.
Every year Dr. Frank and Laura Sayre relive their personal tragedy in order to make their community a safer place. The Sayres established the Daniel Robert Sayre Memorial Foundation Fund at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation in 1998, after the passing of their son in a hiking accident in Pololu Valley on the island of Hawai‘i. Out of their heartache arose the couple’s awareness of the need for critical improvements in emergency operations on the island. The fund helped to memorialize Daniel’s life and express appreciation for the rescue workers who risk their lives every day. “We decided that a memorial fund honoring fire, rescue and emergency personnel is an appropriate way to say ‘thank you’,” said Frank Sayre.
and provide training to prepare emergency responders to serve the community. To date, more than $200,000 has been raised through the fund. The Sayres also host an annual recognition dinner where outstanding fire department employees are honored for their extraordinary rescues. At this year’s dinner in September, the Hawai‘i Fire Department received a donation of $80,206 from the D.R. Sayre Memorial Foundation Fund, with support from the Ironman Foundation and others in the community. “We’ve been inspired by the many people who have made contributions and expressed their desire to promote the intent of this fund,” said Laura Sayre. “If we can help save even one life, then it’s all worth it.” For more information on contributing to this fund, please contact Julie Tulang, Hawai‘ i Island foundation associate, at (808) 885-2174 or jtulang@hcf-hawaii.org
The fund has become instrumental in raising money to purchase specialized rescue equipment, such as site utility vehicles, scuba tanks and portable radios for the fire department Dr. Frank Sayre, at left, and Laura Sayre, at right, present an equipment grant to Hawai‘i Fire Department Chief Darryl Oliveira. The grant is from the Daniel Robert Sayre Memorial Foundation Fund of the Hawai‘i Communty Foundation.
For more information on connecting with a cause that you care about, please contact HCF’s Donor Services department at (808) 566-5560 (toll-free at 1-888-731-3863) or email donorservices@hcf-hawaii.org
www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org