KUKUI GROVE — The tight economy, the impact of which has been felt across many segments of Kaua‘i life, on Sunday hit the island’s charitable spirit.
“We have less teams entered than last year, and there’re only about half of the sponsorships that we used to have,” said Ray Blouin of the ResortQuest Kaua‘i Beach at Maka‘iwa, dangling a pair of flashlights that became useless with the rising of the sun at the Puakea Golf Course. “I come out here every year in the dark, but this year, there were just not that many signs to put up.”
Jolene Ogle of the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort and Beach Club said there were 29 teams registered for the annual Hawai‘i Hotel and Lodging Association, Kaua‘i Chapter golf tournament that is a fundraiser for the organization.
“Hopefully, we break even,” Ogle said. “After we pay for the tournament, hopefully there is some money for scholarships.”
The annual golf tournament generates funds that support not only the Kaua‘i Community College, but the three public high schools on Kaua‘i, Ogle explained.
“We’ve already presented KCC with $3,000 in scholarships for the Top Chef program since they let us use the dining facilities,” Ogle said. “We have another $3,000 in scholarships scheduled for KCC, and $2,000 for the Citizenship Award.”
Ogle said the Citizenship Award is sponsored by the HHLA, Kaua‘i Chapter and that organization sponsors one of the three high schools.
The Sheraton Kaua‘i sponsors one school and the Marriott ‘ohana sponsors the remaining school.
“It’s not just grades,” said Sandi Kato-Klutke of the ResortQuest Islander on the Beach. “Students need to get the grades, but it’s also about what they do in the community.”
Kato-Klutke said other areas where the proceeds go include the Hawaiian culture programs including the Hawaiian Culture is Alive and Well program coordinated by Stella Burgess of the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa. This year will be the fourth annual program scheduled for October and is open not only to hotel guests, but to residents as well.
“The tight economy is not just talk,” Kato-Klutke said. “We’re living it, and we’re going to get past this just like we got past the hurricane.”
Because of its broad base of recipients, the Kaua‘i High School Academy of Hospitality and Tourism had eight of its students on hand from before sunrise to help with the tournament.
“I was here last year along with Angela Corpuz,” said Cheryl Arizabal, AOHT president. “We kind of know what this is about since there’re business people playing golf.”
Additionally, the 11th grade students of the two-year AOHT program are scheduled to participate in a Groundhog Job Shadow Day with the Marriott properties on Kaua‘i, Feb. 2.
“HHLA has been very good to the Kaua‘i Community College,” said KCC culinary arts instructor Billy Gibson. He was joined by chef instructors Martina Hilldorfer and Jason Sunada and culinary arts students, who worked along side resort chefs Guy Higa, Rafael Camarillo and Mark Sassone and culinary arts staff from the Kaua‘i Marriott, Waiohai and Hilton.
In addition to the golf event, which generates funds for student scholarships, Kato-Klutke said there is the annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk that generates funds to help Kaua‘i organizations that help Kaua‘i’s people.
That event is coming up May 16 on the grounds of the historic County Building, and Kato-Klutke said there are plans to have a variety of ethnic foods celebrating those ethnic groups that have been here for 100 years or more.
