A loving heart for Samoa

By Faalogo Situtuila Sissy Vaa Vuki 20 April 2018, 12:00AM

The following is penned by Faalogo Situtuila Sissy Vaa Vuki telling their story with husband Tupuola Sione Vuki behind their Samaritan mission to assist Samoa where possible.  In recent weeks, coupled spearheaded a fundraising drive in the hometown in St. George Utah U.S.A to raise over $15,000 for the National Emergency Call Center:

 

Why we choose to do a charity fundraiser for the Samoa 911 Call Center “National Emergency Call Centre 911”. Because of my Dad’s estate in Samoa I have to travel from the USA to Samoa often and Sione would accompany me.  

In 2016 while visiting Samoa Sione’s health condition needed urgent medical attention as he was experiencing and breaking out in serious hives, color discoloration, vomiting, vertigo, and slowly breathing, that I tried to ask those around for help and I tried calling for help on the numbers that I was given for Emergency and no answer and I began to pray to plead for Gods help.

 I remembered the preparations that our Dr. Stephen Clark from St. George, USA prepared Sione and I before we always depart for Samoa about Sione’s medications plus during emergency to stay calm which I quickly acted and remembered Sione’s epinephrine pen that this might come in handy as his pulse was fading and he was just lying there in our rental truck.  

The three different phone numbers to contact for emergency was very confusing.

We pondered after all that we had experienced how scary that we had no help from the emergency contact numbers we dialed and how blessed we are to live in the USA because there is only the #911 Universal number for anyone to call for any emergency.

To our surprise we read on SFESA Facebook on November 2017, that Samoa will have in place a 911 Call Center, effective January 1, 2018;  Samoa Fire Emergency Safety Authority (SFESA) declared Samoa 911 Call Center was put into effect. 

Our prayers have been answered in April 2018 as Sione returned with me to Samoa for the first time after 2 1/2 years from the incident that happened in 2016 while visiting Samoa. Sione will always need to be close to home in St. George, Utah because of his medical needs. We are thankful while we are in Samoa that there is a universal emergency contact number 911 and 911 Call Center, because it affects us all, families and friends that visit Samoa, and those that live in Samoa when they need urgent emergency care.  Samoa 911 Call Center are the first point of contact that can help save time for first responders EMT, Police, or Firefighters to save lives and the purpose and why we are so passionate about making others aware to respect and appreciate this great service. 

We coordinated this fundraiser for the Samoa 911 Call Center “National Emergency Call Centre 911”, and because of the great love and support from families and friends for Samoa 911 Call Center from St. George Utah and USA we were successful in achieving our goal and more. Our goal was to raise $5,000 USD for this great cause.

We want to Thank Facebook for allowing us to create a fundraiser event on Go Fund, even if it includes a fee, Thank you FB, for us to be able to begin this great cause to raise monetary funds for Samoa 911 Call Center.

We want to be transparent with all donations so that the integrity of all donations are accounted and so that the donors will know 100% of all the proceeds collected (are donated directly to Samoa 911 Call Center) minus what Facebook Fundraiser fees are deducted by Facebook for using their services. (Breakdown information provided below.)

On Facebook Go Fund/Fundraiser $1,280 USD was raised (Facebook Fundraiser guidelines a raising platform charges 7.9% of total fundraiser plus $0.30), plus monetary donations given by each of you mentioned on the Donors list below.

Total amount of donations received are $6,259.35 USD, that has been converted into Samoa tala $15,258.41 that has been presented to Prime Minister Tuilaepa prior to his departure for overseas and under PM recommendations for us to present to SFESA Commissioner at Samoa 911 Call Center. 

All the donations were collected in a two week period all the way to the last hours before Sione and I left from St. George Utah for Samoa. 

 Sione and I never knew where this journey was going to lead us, but our hearts just wanted to help empower and educate families in Samoa the vital importance of having a Samoa 911 Call Center. 

Sione and I have always known our hometown St George Utah and USA with our families and friends to have a strong support, self-reliant, giving, and helping hands in humanitarian aid to help others less fortunate and why this charity has been successful because of their help. 

We encourage to always having a sincere heart of gratitude and to never take for granted what we are so blessed with small or grand, just be grateful and remember tomorrow is never promised. 

We hope to do good today as your imprint of legacy can be remembered for your good services or good deeds to help better another’s life or save a life.   

We express with great gratitude and hearts of appreciation for all the Donors listed below who made this donation possible for Samoa 911 Call Center “National Emergency Call Centre 911”. 

God bless each of you with thy choicest blessings for your kind acts of charitable service in giving. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you very much!

Tracy Ence, Troy Ence, Kim Ence, Jon Ence (Owners Ence Homes), Sylvia Ence & Quentin Ence (RIP & RIL),  Sione Heleti Vuki and Situtuila Sissy Fa’alogo Te’o-Tuatagloa Vuki,  Wes Tallon (Owner Tallon Paint),  Steve Painter,  Suzanne Gentry,  Jack Rolfe (Founder School of Life Foundation) and Lexie Rolfe, Mike Worthington, John Wayne Horsley (Owner John Wayne Horsley Construction), Keli H Langi (Owner Jacob Lake Inn; Founder SUPIC), Susi Lafaele (Founder SUPIC), Randy Snow (Owner Domino’s Pizza), Shauna Snow Gardiner,  Bill Hallam and Margaret Hallam,  Robin Draper, Francisco Acquino,  Amanda Nielsen,  Johnny Owen and Shirley Owen,  Roger Larson and Kris Anderson-Larson.

We also want to thank Kisione and Theresa Howery-Pale,  Jay Vaughn (Owner Priority One Paint) and Shay Vaughn,  Stacy Randall,  Bill Dudleston,  Marty Lane,  Jeff Ence (Owner JBR Stucco),  Cody Ence (Realtor/Broker at Ence Realty),  Scott Leishman and Merilee Jones Leishman (Realtor at Ence Realty),  Creed Naylor and Lacey Ence Naylor, Frances Estrovitz, Chad Fauson, Ana and Uatekini Koaneti Vai,  Brad Hallam, Mike Hall (Owner Mike Hall Construction), Don and Joan Crichton and family (Owner Honolulu Grill), Blanca Castro-Hone and family, Kalala Puaina Te’o, Robert and Shelly Ence (Owner Ence Electric), Kelly and Jennifer Buchanan (Owner Got Concrete), Deker Landis, Kason Gubler and family, Ben and Angie Holbrook Shorty (Owner Shorty Construction Inc.), Judy Curtis, Jackie Curtis, Monica Hatch, Justin Snyder and family (St. George Utah Firemen), Mitch and Luetta Vuki, Salesi Wayne Vuki, Kali Ana Vuki Williams, Christina Tuala-Vaaga.

We know many of our friends and family will visit Samoa once in their life time and it is fantastic to know you made a difference to help Samoa 911 Call Center “National Emergency Call Centre 911”.

 

Again we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your act of giving kindness that can help save a life when first res-ponders have the best resources available, that life may be yours or ours as we have experienced while in Samoa.  

We hope and pray in faith for the great success for Samoa 911 Call Center, “National Emergency Call Centre 911”, including all the Emergency departments “SFESA” Samoa Fire Emergency Safety Authority, and Samoa Police for their dedication as they are our unsung heroes that are the men and women serving in these departments. We say Thank you for your consistent hard-work and many sacrifices away from your families to serve the public for the betterment of Samoa. May God bless and protect you with guidance and safety always. Thank you!

 


By Faalogo Situtuila Sissy Vaa Vuki 20 April 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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