LIHU‘E — More than a thousand Kaua‘i pairs of feet tromped to raise more than $400,000 to help nearly 60 of Kaua‘i’s nonprofit organizations, Saturday during the 43rd Visitor Industry Charity Walk at the Vidinha Stadium soccer fields.
The Kaua‘i effort presented by the HLTA, Kaua‘i Chapter was just part of the statewide effort where the different HLTA chapters were walking at the same time, finishing with a massive estimated $2 million across the state.
“It’s great to be back, again,” said Chip Bahouth, the general manager of the Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort, and a member of the Kaua‘i Charity Walk steering committee. “This is the first time we’ve been back in-person in three years!”
Walkers, getting a final-minute safety briefing from Kaua‘i Police Department Chief Todd Raybuck who broke off on his journey to Coffee with a Cop at the Waimea Chicken in a Bucket, negotiated a roughly three-mile loop through the community of Lihu‘e peppered with aid stations manned by volunteer groups offering energy pick-me-ups and cold bottles of water.
“It’s safe to say Kaua‘i reached at least $400,000 in fundraising efforts,” said Samira Siale, the Kaua‘i HLTA executive. “We just got late paperwork from walkers this morning, and there are resorts that are wrapping up their last efforts. This is such a great feeling to announce that we surpassed our $300,000 goal.”
Following the morning stroll under a rapidly-warming sun, walkers returned to a wall of greeters that included community volunteer groups such as the Kaua‘i High School football and cheer programs, and representatives from the various nonprofit organizations that share in the proceeds.
“I have to find the spot with the most shade,” said Larry Yasuda who volunteered for the Special Olympics Kaua‘i program, and whose Kaua‘i Special Olympics coordinator Jocelyn Barriga was among the sea of feet. “We have our own fundraiser, The Cop on Top coming up starting Thursday at the Walmart store in Lihu‘e so I need to save energy for that, too.”
Raybuck’s quest for a morning donut came up short as he toured the lineup of resorts offering breakfast specials to the sea of walkers whose appetites were only whetted by the stroll through Lihu‘e.
“This is Filipino Bulgogi,” said Marty Amaro of the Kaua‘i Community College culinary arts program who was volunteering at the Royal Sonesta Kaua‘i Resort food station led by Chef Rey Montemayor. “Don’t drop the salad!”
Walkers said the Royal Sonesta had the longest line of people waiting for breakfast — until the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa finished their “chunks” of broiled salmon.
Entertainment included Halau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leina‘ala and the musical stylings of Bronson Aiwohi providing walkers with a repeat performance of the halau’s kahiko and auana presentations that gave the Kukuiolono-based group a sweeping finish of the 2022 Merrie Monarch Hula Festival.
To top the annual fundraising effort, The Hawai‘iUSA Federal Credit Union launched its release of more than a thousand pairs of rubbah slippahs in the Rubba Slippah Drop that utilized the services of Da Tow Truck that traditionally hosts its Halloween Nightmare in Waimea event.
