PO‘IPU — Department managers and supervisors at the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa received unexpected visitors at a recent meeting and training session. Michael Boro, William Burwell and Kevin Yasuda, all Kaua‘i Special Olympics athletes from the Kaua‘i Storm
PO‘IPU — Department managers and supervisors at the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa received unexpected visitors at a recent meeting and training session.
Michael Boro, William Burwell and Kevin Yasuda, all Kaua‘i Special Olympics athletes from the Kaua‘i Storm arrived with chaperones Larry Yasuda and Shirley Negrillo to present the Hyatt with a Special Olympics state award.
“Your support at the annual Special Olympics Track and Field games make it possible for us to offer this program to our athletes,” Larry told the gathering. “At the state Special Olympics office, they felt your years of dedication was worthy of a state award.”
Jocelyn Barriga, the Kaua‘i Special Olympics coordinator, said the Hyatt received the State Outstanding Organization Award, presented to a business whose efforts have significantly improved the Special Olympics athletes’ experience on a local, area-wide, or statewide level.
“The Hyatt has been such a great asset to our Track and Field meet and continually enhance the athletes’ experience at the games,” Barriga said in an e-mail. “The Hyatt people deserve this recognition for all they do.”
Doug Sears, the Hyatt’s general manager, said getting people to volunteer for the Special Olympics Track and Field meet is one of the easier projects the Hyatt takes on.
“We simply announce it and people hear ‘Special Olympics’ and volunteer,” Sears said. “We don’t even need to remind them because they are so enthusiastic about going out to support the athletes.”
Sears, in accepting the award from Burwell, thanked the athletes and the Kaua‘i Special Olympics program for being an inspiration to the Hyatt family of employees.
The Special Olympics’ mission is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
To enroll and athlete, or for more information on the Special Olympics program, call 652-8662.
