PO‘IPU — The Kaua‘i United Way, coming off a successful All-Wheels Expo over the weekend, launched its 69th Annual Campaign, Thursday at the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa. Ron Wiley, the on-air personality for the KQNG Radio Group and
PO‘IPU — The Kaua‘i United Way, coming off a successful All-Wheels Expo over the weekend, launched its 69th Annual Campaign, Thursday at the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa.
Ron Wiley, the on-air personality for the KQNG Radio Group and the Campaign co-chair, said this year’s goal is $635,000.
The goal is beyond the $625,000 figure set for last year’s Campaign, but despite just falling short of attaining the goal last year, the needs in the community are still very real and determine the Kaua‘i United Way Campaign goal.
“We still have people looking for work,” Wiley said. “There are still people who need help just to make ends meet, and Kaua‘i United Way is the umbrella agency which does everything from helping to feed hungry people to providing a network of services which help others enjoy a better life.”
Funds raised by the Kaua‘i United Way are allocated to its network of Participating Agencies which offer a wide range of services from youth to kupuna with 98 percent of all dollars raised on Kaua‘i remaining on Kaua‘i to help Kaua‘i’s people, its website states.
Kaua‘i United Way funds which are distributed to its Participating Agencies allow the organization to focus on improving its services instead of having to worry about how funding is going to keep their organization functioning.
This in turn, reassures contributors that one contribution makes a big difference.
Kaua‘i United Way also received its approval from the Better Business Bureau of Hawai‘i in June, the KUW meeting all 22 of the Hawai‘i BBB’s Standards for Charitable Accountability, said Russell Subiono, BBB Hawai‘i’s Charity Review Administrator and Public Outreach Coordinator.
“This is an excellent achievement and another validation of KUW’s value to the Kaua‘i community,” said Scott Giarman, the KUW executive director.
Doug Sears, the general manager of the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa and the Campaign co-chair with Wiley, called on the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i’s own Carla Thomas to stimulate fun and innovative ways organizations and individuals can fundraise.
One of the new innovations implemented this year was spreading out the Kaua‘i United Way board members and Participating Agency representatives so at least one board member and one Participating Agency representative was seated at tables filled with representatives from Campaign participating organizations and businesses.
“It’s the giving part that matters,” said Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. “We share and collaborate to give back to the social agencies to make the quality of life better for all of us. This is great — working side by side.”
Carvalho could not help himself, bursting forth with “United We Stand,” a tune made popular by the Brotherhood of Man.
Organizations and individuals are able to make their contributions by visiting www.kauaiunitedway.org, or by contacting Lynnette Medrano-Stine, the Campaign Director and Community Services Liason for Kaua‘i United Way at 245-2043.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
