Hawaii’s lodging industry has shortened its annual visitor industry charity walk to four miles but still hopes to raise a record-setting $2 million during this year’s event.
"By shortening the walk, we hope to get even more participants," said Ben Rafter, walk chairman. "We think this can be our best walk ever."
Meeting that goal will be a tall order, as last year’s event saw annual collections grow 12.9 percent to $1.88 million when some 14,281 walkers across the islands supported the event. Since its beginning the event has raised more than $27 million for local charitable institutions.
This year more than 200 local charities, including the Institute for Human Services, will benefit from the walks, which began last weekend on Molokai and Lanai. The walk will move to Maui and Hawaii island Saturday, and it will be held May 16 on Kauai and Oahu.
IHS, which is partnering with the visitor industry to hold the Hawaii for Hawaii fundraising concert Saturday at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, is slated to get $100,000 from walker collections to fund its Waikiki homeless outreach.
"This walk is very important to nonprofit organizations like IHS. It shows that the visitor industry not only is supporting us financially, but is willing to step up and be part of the solution. Walking for a cause shows that all of us are in this together," said Kimo Carvalho, IHS director of community relations.
Rafter said this year’s walk is committed to supporting homeless efforts but also will benefit many other local charities big and small.
"There’s a lot of diversity in the causes that get supported," he said.
Jared Higashi, director of government and community affairs for the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association, said about 80 percent of the walkers are expected to come from the visitor industry.
"This is the industry’s signature event," Higashi said. "The industry looks forward to it all year, and we invite other residents and visitors to join us."
Royal Hawaiian Center has been participating in the walk since 1980, said the retail and entertainment asset’s marketing director, Sam Shenkus.
"We like the event because it supports the community and our customers are the community," Shenkus said. "This year we’ll be serving up cookies from Honolulu Cookie Company, fortune cookies from Panda Express and fruit from This Week Magazine."
Shenkus said the walk is unique in that the visitor industry also supports the walkers by providing food and drink at 15 stops along the route. Starwood Hotels & Resorts also will host a complimentary lunch for those who cross the finish line.
"It’s the only walk where people actually gain weight," Shenkus said. "It’s just a really good time for a great cause."
Karen Wataru Nakaoka, HLTA executive director, said charities must participate in the walk and fill out an application to be eligible to receive donations. In keeping with visitor industry charity walk policies, Nakaoka said that the money raised in a county is donated to charities in that county.
All walkers on Maui, Lanai and Hawaii island are required to have a minimum donation of $35 for adults and $25 for those under 18 years of age, including infants. Kauai has a minimum of $35 for all walkers regardless of age, and on Oahu adult walkers are expected to contribute $40 with the fee set at $25 for anyone under 18 years of age, including infants.
For more information, visit charitywalkhawaii.org.
