The walk is done and people have until Nov. 15 to fulfill their pledges to walkers, said Lori Almarza, Kauai United Way office manager.
The walk is done and people have until Nov. 15 to fulfill their pledges to walkers, said Lori Almarza, Kauai United Way office manager.
Nearly 400 walkers of all ages took to the route circumventing Kukui Grove Center Saturday, raising an estimated $20,000 for KUW.
Lyle Tabata, scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 148, said this is one of the easiest ways for nonprofit groups to raise funds because half of what is collected goes back to the group. The other half goes to support KUW’s 24 partner agencies.
Sponsored by the Hawaii Medical Service Association, the walk was led by youth, including the Kapaa High School Interact Club which, under the auspices of its leaders, does a lot of the logistical work like setting up the breakfast for walkers and volunteers as well as sending out a group to walk.
Kauai High School Key Club sent out a sea of yellow-dotted red shirts into the field, monitored by volunteers from the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai Branch, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and more.
Mike Kano, scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 133 and honorary KUW board, handled the welcoming and thank yous for KUW, and said he remembers doing the walk when it started in Moloa‘a and ended in Lihue.
“I did that a couple of times, then took a break until they moved the start to right outside of Kapaa,” Kano said. “I did that for about 10 years. This walk might not be 50 years old, but it’s got to be pretty close to it.”
