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Kokua Line
June Watanabe
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Philanthropy and privacy can coexist
Question: I recently donated my vehicle to one of the charitable organizations (Hawaiian Humane Society) that accepts vehicles. I was shocked when I got a letter from the person who purchased the vehicle. I had not left my name or address in the vehicle prior to donating it. Can you alert your readers that if they donate a car, they should ask the charity to transfer the title into their name prior to having it auctioned off? It is a little more work for the charity, but I think most would be willing to do this as the humane society was appalled that I was even contacted. I don't fault the humane society and in fact would gladly donate another vehicle to them again. I do fault the dealership that sold the car for giving out my information.
Answer: That's good advice.
In fact, a spokeswoman for the Hawaiian Humane Society assures donors that it will "now do the same" before a vehicle is auctioned via Aloha Auto Auction.
"We feel this is important to protect the identities of our donors, who are making generous gifts to support our efforts," she said.
The HHS, relatively recently, started its vehicle donor program. Call 356-2221 or go to www.hawaiianhumane.org, clicking on "donate," for more information.
Meanwhile, Dewey Hess, general manager of Aloha Auto Auction, explained that his company acts as the agent selling donated vehicles for many charities.
"We never take ownership" of the vehicles, he said.
The best way for donors to protect themselves is to ask the charity to "take the title out of the donor's name and put it into their name," Hess said.
He notes that two of the biggest charities Aloha Auto Auction deals with -- the National Kidney Foundation and Catholic Charities -- do that as a matter of course to make sure a donor's privacy is maintained.
We also checked with Dennis Kamimura, administrator of the city Motor Vehicle & Licensing Division, who said the only -- emphasizing "only" -- way to remove a vehicle donor's name from title and registration documents "is for the charity to record a transfer of ownership into their name."
The charity would be noted as the registered legal owner of the certificates of registration and title.
It would then give the auction company or purchaser the certificates of title and registration. Nowhere on the documents would the name and address of the previous recorded owner be noted, Kamimura said.
He added that filing a "notice of transfer" does not remove the name and address of the recorded owner of record on the paper documents or computer files.
Mahalo and Auwe
Mahalo to the dog lover who picks up the dog poop while walking in Aina Haina. But auwe for depositing it into other people's trash bins. Might as well not pick it up so we don't have to sanitize our bins after you strike. No class! -- No Name
Got a question or complaint? Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered. E-mail to
kokualine@starbulletin.com.
See also: Useful phone numbers