LIHU‘E — People who have never experienced the Visitor Industry Charity Walk are on Christina Gabriel’s list. “Participating in the annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk is an easy quick way to help and this event is for everyone — residents
LIHU‘E — People who have never experienced the Visitor Industry Charity Walk are on Christina Gabriel’s list.
“Participating in the annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk is an easy quick way to help and this event is for everyone — residents as well as visitors who want to help,” Gabriel said. “For a $35 donation, you receive a new T-shirt, spend some time with family and friends and get a great breakfast. And, the best part is all the money raised on Kaua‘i, stays on Kaua‘i.”
Gabriel — the chair of the 2011 Visitor Industry Charity Walk, which starts at 7 a.m., May 14 — announced this year’s goal of 2,000 walkers and $175,000 during the recent launch of this year’s event at the Kaua‘i Beach Resort where team captains were invited to pick up their walk packets.
“People are asking for more because they need more,” said Sandi Kato-Klutke of the Islander on the Beach and the Hawai‘i Hotel and Lodging Association, Kaua‘i Chapter. “It’s time for people to put their best slippah forward.”
During the 2010 walk, more than 1,000 walkers raised almost $135,000 which was distributed to more than 40 of Kaua‘i’s nonprofit organizations.
“The Kaua‘i Community College Culinary Arts Program students depend on the contributions they receive from the HHLA, Kaua‘i Chapter, Charity Walk to fund their education, especially in these tough economic times,” said Chef Martina Hilldorfer, KCC associate professor, in a release. “The support we receive from this event serves to fuel our students’ future in order to make them ready to enter the workforce of our community. The Charity Walk greatly benefits our program as well as numerous other deserving organizations.”
During the HHLA Visitor Industry Charity Walk, walkers collect sponsorships and for their efforts are rewarded with a free gourmet “Breakfast of Aloha” prepared by some of Kaua‘i’s finest resorts following the walk.
The Visitor Industry Charily Walk is a statewide event sponsored by the HHLA and takes place on O‘ahu, Maui, the Big Island and Kaua‘i, being described as one of the largest single-day fundraising events by a nonprofit organization in the state.
“We’re going to be in the walk this year,” said Josie Pablo, recreational director for the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital. “Betty Matsumura of the Mahelona Auxiliary said she wants us to be out there so we’re having some of our residents join our staff, May 14 at the historic County Building.”
Leading up to the walk, there are numerous opportunities for people to become active in helping raise the $175,000 total, this Saturday the Lihu‘e Bowling Center becoming the center of more fun as the HHLA hosts a bowling tournament which has pretty much sold out, save three lanes, to benefit the walk.
“Please friend us,” Gabriel said. “This year, for the first time we’re on Facebook, and we only have 89 friends.”
Gabriel said being on Facebook has many advantages for people to follow the walk through that medium as teams announce their special events and people are able to take advantage of those while helping the walk. People are able to get to the Facebook page by logging on to the Kaua‘i Visitor Industry Charity Walk website.
“We’ve been out of the community for several years,” a representative of the Hanalei Bay Resort said. “This year, we’re participating in the walk because we want the community to know we’re still here and we’re still a part of the community.”
The Hanalei Bay Resort will host a bake sale starting at 9 a.m., April 15 in the hotel lobby, states its Facebook entry.
Big Save stores throughout the island will have registration forms for the 33rd annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk as well as recruiting stations at Easter Seals, Deja Vu Surf Hawai‘i, Allstate Insurance, Hanalei Bay Resort, Westin Princeville, the Koloa Landing, the Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club and Pono Kai Resort.
Visit www.charitywalkhawaii.org/kauai.html or call Jolene Ogle at 246-5149 for more information.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
