Portland Baker Finds Sweetness in Red Cross Volunteers

Marilyn Devault and her family pose outside a school building near a Red Cross disaster sign.

Marilyn Devault and her family arrive at the Red Cross shelter.

May 06, 2026

By Colleen Hathaway

Scary Storms and Flooding

It was spring break, 2026 in Maui and Marilyn Devault, 77, her daughter, 47, and her granddaughter, 11, were looking forward to a much-awaited vacation; however, the Kona Low storms had other plans for them. Days of heavy rain had flooded the roads, forcing authorities to close them. There was nowhere to stay.

To add insult to injury, their hotel refused to give them their money back. But then, a beacon of light: Marilyn read on her phone that the Red Cross had set up a shelter at the H.P. Baldwin High School in Central Maui and was welcoming people in. They were saved.

In a Red Cross shelter, a woman in a gray hoodie leans over talking to a person reclined on a cot.

A gym converted into a shelter with an American Red Cross blanket on a cot in focus. A person in a Red Cross vest walks in the background.

Softness and Kindness

A self-taught baker and award-winning business owner of A Piece of Cake in Portland, OR for 47 years, as well as a former teacher of students with disabilities, Marilyn is no stranger to adventure. She borrowed from that sensibility to try and brighten her family’s spirits and make their overnight stay as pleasant as possible. It wasn’t hard though because of the “softness and kindness” she says she found in the Red Cross volunteers. They made her feel safe and welcome with their calm sincerity and hospitality.

A woman and child smiling, lie on a cot covered with a Red Cross blanket in a Red Cross shelter.

Making the best of the situation.

She, her daughter and granddaughter were given cots and blankets, drinks and snacks, and even breakfast the next morning. “A++,” was how she graded the professionalism and courteousness of the Red Cross volunteers.

In the morning, Marilyn and her family were able to leave the shelter. As she reflected on the whole experience, Marilyn asked, “How could we be upset? The volunteers were so nice and amazing.” And as only a baker of cakes could say, she finished with, “How can you be mad when the kindness is so sweet?”

The recent Kona Low flooding in Hawaii was the worst flooding in over 20 years and had devastating results. Hundreds of homes were damaged, thousands had to be evacuated, and Red Cross volunteers staffed more than 18 shelters for those who had to leave their homes. They were there for the Devault family and will be there the next time.

Help support responses like these by donating to: https://www.redcross.org/donate/dr/hawaii-storms-and-floods.html/