Makani Taniguchi of the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, one of several guest speakers at the Kauai United Way Mahalo Luncheon at the Outrigger Kauai Beach Resort, summed up the day during his down-to-earth, laughter-generating speech: “Mahalo, you …”
The Kauai United Way, with the generosity of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, hosted more than 100 people, including representatives from contributing businesses, KUW partner agencies and special guests like Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami with a singular purpose — to thank people.
“Mahalo, you,” as Taniguchi said. For contributing to the 2024 campaign that finished at 92 percent of goal by raising more than $553,000 that will help the KUW Partner Agencies with their work helping Kauai become a better place; for the partner agencies for their unrelenting work to help Kauai’s people; and to the volunteers who are always ready to pick up the pieces and run.
This year, a special agency award, the Agency of the Year, was created and presented to the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai for the amount of effort the staff put forward to help at any of the KUW special events like the kickball tournament and more.
“I called them this morning to see if they needed help,” said Michelle Panoke of the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai. “But they said they were OK today.”
Kauai United Way Board Member Shelley Miyazaki was presented the Founder’s Award by voting among the other KUW board members.
Taniguchi was too nervous about “anxiety” to enjoy the fact that the KIUC topped several award categories including being in the top 15 employee groups and the Per Capita Employee Contributors.
KIUC, who is involved in an annual unspoken competition for top employee group, finished the 2024 Campaign in first place, ahead of the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort &Spa. Unfortunately, the effort fell short in the Top 3 PerCapita Employee Group Contribution where KIUC ended in second place below King Auto Center that put forth a total of $416. KIUC finished at $379 and Koga Engineering &Construction finished third at $262.
Joining KIUC and the Grand Hyatt Kauai, others in the Top 15 Employee Groups included King Auto Center, the County of Kauai, the State of Hawaii, Kukuiula Development Co., Hawaii, Corteva Agriscience, Lawai Beach Resort, Wilcox Health System, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Costco Wholesale, the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort, First Hawaiian Bank, the Marriott Waiohai Beach Club and Servco Kauai.
Celebrating 80 years on Kauai, the Kauai United Way is an independent IRS-certified nonprofit organization that has been dedicated to serving the social service needs of Kauai since 1943. Funds raised on Kauai stays on Kauai to help Kauai’s people.
The Kauai United Way supports more than 80 individual social service programs through 19 participating agencies that provided service to more than 35,000 Kauaians, annually.
For more information, visit the Kauai United Way website at www.kauaiunitedway.org.
