Hawaii Public Radio: Ice Cream Aunties brings joy, sweet treats and healing to Lahaina ʻohana
“Ice cream! Come get your ice cream! Huuiiii!”
That’s the call of the Ice Cream Aunties in Lahaina.
Trinette Furtado sits on the back of her truck, announcing free treats on a megaphone as she does her weekly rounds through West Maui neighborhoods.
Trinette Furtado calls families out for free ice cream as she and volunteers drive through Lahaina beach parks and neighborhoods, with the ice cream truck jingle heralding their arrival on a loud speaker.
Over the past year, Ice Cream Aunties has turned into something deeper than just a cold treat.
“There are high fives, there are hugs, you can get a handshake, a fist bump," Furtado said. "Kids would actually come up, and they'd be like, 'Auntie with my ice cream, can I get a hug?' Or adults would say that, 'Hey, I really could use a hug today.' And I'm like, ‘You know what? Me too.’”
It's an unconventional form of healing.
