Our club has enjoyed many decades of association, competition, and enjoyment with the Maui community. As you may already be aware, Maui, particularly the town of Lahaina, has faced devastating fires over the past week. The extent of damage to physical structures and the tragic loss of lives is unprecedented.
A member has already shown his gratitude for the warm welcome Maui locals have given him over many years of prepared to match donations up to a target of $5,000. We encourage our members to join forces and lend a hand to our friends on Maui.
Tattersalls Club has a longstanding history of involvement with the Maui Channel Swim, held in the Kaanapali area adjacent to Lahaina, one of the iconic ocean swims of the world and started by two wonderful community minded Americans, Ian and Coco Emberton. Our own Tatts legend Norm Rogers took the first Tatts teams across in 1981.
In its early years, the race concluded at Lahaina Harbour. With our Tattersalls Black Dog team achieving an impressive 13 consecutive victories in the Maui channel swims until 2020, and with numerous Tattersalls teams participating, the annual Maui trip has become a cherished and essential tradition of the Club.
Tattersalls legend Peter Thiel has kept the tradition and the story going. Pete had another gun team ready to go this year but unfortunately with the fires the harbour has been completely razed, along with most of the boats that were docked there, including the vessel utilized by our current Tattersalls Team for the past 15 years. Understandably, the race has been cancelled this year due to the area’s struggle to allocate sufficient resources for locals, let alone tourists. For the first time in fifty years, our team will not be embarking on the Maui channel swim. Instead, they have united with a shared purpose – to raise donations and offer a glimmer of hope to those facing dire circumstances.
Here’s how our community can contribute:
Given that local resources are severely strained on Maui, and with over 12,000 residents displaced, several charitable organizations have stepped in to aid those in need. Tattersalls has chosen to contribute to these efforts and has identified the Maui Food Bank as a well-established charity that is actively engaged in collecting and distributing food to organisations and agencies supporting the island’s residents, ultimately improving their quality of life.
Donations can be made directly or through the Club by emailing membership@tattersallsclub.org . If you donate directly, please let us know so we can highlight the gratitude our members have in being a part of the wider Maui swimming community.