Maui County Visitor Industry Raises $800,000 in Charity Walk

By Maui Now Staff

The Maui Hotel & Lodging Association held its 37th Visitor Industry Charity Walk on Saturday, May 9, raising a total of $800,000.

On Saturday, 2,285 walkers gathered at the War Memorial Soccer Field for a morning of exercise, camaraderie, food,  prizes and entertainment.

At the end of the day, $761,161 was raised on Maui.

The week prior, MHLA hosted walks on Molokaʻi and Lā-naʻi, bringing in $15,356 and $23,483 respectively for a total of $800,000 for Maui County.

The original amount raised at the Maui event was of $798,367, until an anonymous donor stepped up right before the final announcement and donated $1,633 so Maui County could state the even $800,000 amount.

Most of the participants were visitor industry workers, nonprofit agencies and business representatives. But many of the walkers began their fundraising efforts months prior to the event by collecting pledges, hosting bake sales, chili and stew cook-offs, benefit lūʻau, car washes, tug-of-war competitions, a kick-ball tournament–even dunking booths and concerts.

The Grand Wailea Resort & Spa took top honors for the property bringing in the most with $33,634.

Bank of Hawaiʻi was the business who raised the most at $9,998.

Maui Memorial Medical Center Foundation won the award for nonprofit raising the most at $96,059.

Top individual fundraiser was Dan Williams of Westside Hoops, who collected $17,220.

Property raising the most per capita was Maui Condo & Home Vacations at $561.50 per employee.

And for the third year in a row, Tri-Star Restaurant Group took first place in raising $8,000 for the restaurant category.

Top fundraisers included:

Individual Raising the Most Funds
1st Place: Dan Williams, Westside Hoops: $17,220
2nd Place: Mitch Mitchell, Hale Makua Health Services: $14,790
3rd Place: Peter Tierney, SPCA Maui: $13,387

Business Raising the Most Funds
1st Place: Bank of Hawaii: $9,998
2nd Place: Maui Vacation Rental Association: $8,970
3rd Place: Clinical Laboratories of Hawaii: $2,085

Nonprofit Raising the Most Funds
1st Place: Maui Memorial Medical Center Foundation: $96,059
2nd Place: Hale Makua Health Services: $47,844
3rd Place: Westside Hoops: $36,026

Hotel Property Raising the Most Per Employee
1st Place: Maui Condo & Home Vacations: $561.50/employee
2nd Place: Kahana Falls: $248.28/employee
3rd Place: Aston Mahana at Kaanapali: $155.05/employee

Property Raising the Most Funds
1st Place: Grand Wailea Resort & Spa: $33,634
2nd Place: Makena Beach & Golf Resort: $24,182
3rd Place: Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa: $23,482

Restaurant Raising the Most Funds
1st Place: Tri-Star Restaurant Group: $8,000

“Today was an amazing day of the community coming together to raise funds for Maui County, enjoy time with friends, wonderful entertainment, good food and fantastic prizes,”  said Lisa Paulson, Executive Director of the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association. “The Maui community has once again shown their generosity, volunteerism and compassion in raising funds for the Charity Walk on Maui! And most importantly, all monies raised on Maui, stays in Maui County. Our ability to provide for Maui’s nonprofits is a direct reflection of the integrity and philanthropic conviction of the visitor industry. Maui has always done it in extraordinary fashion–our island continues to raise more funds per capita than any other island in Hawaiʻi.”

The Visitor Industry Charity Walk, a statewide event that takes place throughout the islands, is one of the state’s largest single-day fundraiser, with thousands of participants. the events typically raise almost $2 million annually to benefit charity.

Funds will continue to roll in throughout May. Maui is on pace to meet its goal of $1 million for Maui County. Final amounts raised will be announced at the Charity Walk Reception on Aug. 12.

Next year’s Visitor Industry Charity Walk is scheduled for Saturday, May 14, 2016.

For additional information, call the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association at 244-8625 or send an email.