NAGS HEAD, NC, OCTOBER 14 – In the first company-wide staff meeting held after Hurricane Irene carved a path of destruction across the Outer Banks, John Harris, founder and president of Kitty Hawk Kites, announced to his staff that the company would launch a coordinated campaign to collect relief supplies and raise money for those whose lives had been most severely impacted by the storm.
While four of his company’s Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island locations remained closed and inaccessible as a result of the damage to Highway 12, Harris said that all operating Kitty Hawk Kites, Kitty Hawk Surf Co. and Life is good locations would collect relief supplies and monetary donations that would then be given directly to the Outer Banks Interfaith Community Outreach. As a way of encouraging others to step-up contributions, Harris announced that his company would match, dollar for dollar, all in-store individual monetary donations up to $5,000.
Today, as a result of the kindness of many who have given freely and anonymously, Harris announced that Kitty Hawk Kites has been able to deliver three vanloads of donated items and match $3,738 in cash donations to the Outer Banks Interfaith Community Outreach, resulting in a total monetary donation of $7,476.
“It’s been amazing to see the generosity of locals and visitors,” said Heather Doyle, assistant manager at Kitty Hawk Kites in Nags Head. “People have been handing us money faster than we can ask them to donate.”
Kitty Hawk Kites’ events coordinator, Amanda Baker, who oversaw logistics for the relief campaign, said she’s seen donations of everything from clothes and mops to bug repellant and cat food.
All supply and monetary donations given to the Outer Banks Interfaith Community Outreach remain in Outer Banks communities.
