Supporting Hawaii’s Youth
Hawaii’s premier design + build firm hosts annual holiday party for Hawaii Children’s Cancer Foundation
Graham Builders is best known as Hawaii’s most experienced design + build company specializing in residential construction. What is less known is that for more than a decade, Graham Builders has also given back significantly to Hawaii’s youths through its support of Hawaii Children’s Cancer Foundation (HCCF). Recently, the company was honored by the state as one of Hawaii’s Outstanding Advocates for Children and Youths.
Thanks to Graham Builders, the children and families of HCCF have been able to enjoy festive food, presents and a visit from Santa Claus during the Christmas holiday. Over the past 11 years, Graham Builders has hosted and organized an elaborate annual holiday dinner and party for HCCF at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children for more than 250 children and their families. Graham Builders handles everything — from the entertainment and decorations to the menu. They even arrange a visit from Old Saint Nick himself, bearing gifts for each child in the family, including siblings of the cancer-stricken children. One year, Graham Builders made sure all seven children in one family received presents.
“It was Danny Graham, our company CEO, along with his wife Charlotte, who took on the task of organizing HCCF’s annual holiday party 11 years ago, simply because they felt it was the right thing to do,” said Evan Fujimoto, Graham Builders’ president. “After a close family friend lost a grandchild to cancer, the Grahams wanted to do more and help in any way they could. Prior to Graham Builders hosting the event, the parties were a potluck among the families. Danny stepped in, spiced it up, and put true kamaaina holiday spirit into the party.”
These parties do so much to bring a smile to everyone in attendance. The families have the opportunity to enjoy each other and the company of the other families whose children are also facing life-threatening illnesses, providing them a time for fun and joy during a trying period in their lives. The entire Graham Builders staff, including Fujimoto, serves dinner to these special kids and their families.
In 2007, in an effort to expand its support of HCCF, Graham Builders began requesting a donation at all its monthly “Building Your Home for Life” seminars, and matches those donations. Graham Builders educates seminar attendees about the HCCF and why it’s so important to support the organization. Through this initiative, Graham Builders has collected more than $21,000 for HCCF.
“As long as there are kids with cancer, we’re going to continue to help,” said Danny Graham.
This year’s party will take place on Saturday, Dec. 10 at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children. Delicious local food will be served from Kahala Caterers and the teachers of Kawaiahao Church School have volunteered to do Christmas crafts with the children. And of course, a special visit from Old Saint Nick. It will surely be a festive party for the more than 150 cancer-stricken children, their siblings and parents in attendance.
Graham Builders is Hawaii’s most experienced design and build company, crafting quality homes that last for generations. A true partner to clients, for the past 20 years Graham Builders has been guiding families through the design-build process, step-by-step with the most experienced professionals. The only design and build company in the state to have dedicated designers on staff to create a family’s Home for Life, Graham Builders works closely with families through a collaborative process to bring their dreams to life. A leader in multi-generation homes and aging-in-place design, Graham Builders is able to provide its expertise to those who need to modify their current home so they can live there for a lifetime. For more information on this kamaaina company, visit www.grahambuilders.com.
ADDRESS: 1144 YOUNG ST.
CONTACT: 593-2808
WEBSITE: www.grahambuilders.com
