Jessica Lani Rich, president and executive director of the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii, had tears running down her face Friday as she placed a picture of Casimir Pokorny, a 26-year-old visitor from Oreland, Pa., at a memorial on the site of a tragic Kakaako crash.

Rich’s visit to the memorial was timed to a memorial service for Pokorny held in Pennsylvania. She said she told his mother, Gail Garin, that Hawaii cares and won’t forget about the crash last month that left three dead and five seriously injured. Also killed in the crash were Reino Ikeda, 47, of Japan and William Travis Lau, a 39-year-old Honolulu doctor.

“We can’t take away what happened, but we can show our support and aloha,” said Rich, who along with other visitor industry members and Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawaii is organizing a healing and inspirational event for the victims of the Kakaako crash and those who care about them.

“Hawaii — We Care” will be held from 10-11:30 a.m. Feb. 16 at the Hawai‘i Convention Center’s Liliu Theater, Room 310. It is open to all and parking is free. However, reservations are required to ensure that attendees have enough room. To reserve space, call 945-1115 or email HawaiiWe Care@gmail.com by 5 p.m. Thursday.

“VASH responded to the victims involved in the crash, which has caused so much anger, pain and suffering in our community,” Rich said. “The 90-minute event will be a time that people can find some release. They can also bring cards and donations for those that were affected.”

Melissa Lau, widow of the local doctor killed in the crash, and Hawaii Tourism Authority Chairman Rick Fried are slated to speak at the event, which also includes spiritual leaders and entertainers.

Jerry Dolak, president of the Hawaii Hotel Visitor Industry Security Association, said, “We don’t want people to feel like this is the way of life here. We want them to understand that it’s rare, but when it happens we want to make sure that we make amends.”

Theresa Paulette, MADD victim services specialist, said the nonprofit has received many calls from people who are struggling in the wake of the alcohol-related tragedy.

“If we get strong numbers at the event, it sends a strong message to law enforcement and our community that we need to make stricter penalties and enforce them to stop these preventable tragedies,” said Paulette.

Paulette said MADD Hawaii, which has been working with police and other highway safety partners for 35 years, has seen alcohol-related traffic fatalities trend downward. But more needs to be done, she said. That’s why they are working with state lawmakers to advance a measure that would allow judges to prohibit drunken drivers from purchasing or publicly consuming alcohol for three years after their conviction, among other increased penalties.

The crusade is personal for Paulette, who said her 15-year-old son Brian was killed in 1992 by a car driven by a six-time repeat DUI arrestee.

Police believe alcohol was a factor in the Kakaako crash. A blood alcohol level has not been released for Alins Sumang, the 27-year-old driver, who was charged with manslaughter in connection with the crash. However, police said that he had an odor of alcohol on him and a half-empty bottle of Absolut vodka on the floorboard of his pickup at the time of the crash.

According to police, Sumang crossed three lanes of traffic in an attempt to turn right onto Kamakee Street and instead crashed into a group of pedestrians before ramming into another pickup and critically injuring its driver.

Police said Sumang hit the pedestrians at 51 mph. He was speeding down the road following an earlier accident several blocks away where he had slammed into parked cars, police said.