Visitor Industry Charity Walk This Saturday, May 13

2011 Maui Visitor Industry Chairty Walk, courtesy file photo.

The Maui Hotel & Lodging Association celebrates 39 years of giving back to the community with its annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk this Saturday, May 13 at the War Memorial Soccer Field.

Last year, nearly 3,000 walkers gathered at the War Memorial Soccer Field for a fun-filled morning of exercise, camaraderie, good food, great prizes and entertainment.

In 2016, an impressive total of $1,095,455 was raised for Maui County, benefitting 101 Maui County charities.

The Maui event alone drew more than 2,500 walkers and raised more than a million dollars, with $1,023,395 collected.  The walk on Molokaʻi brought in $40,436 and Lānaʻi’s event raised $31,624 in 2016.

Maui continues to raise more dollars per capita than any other island; and for the seventh year in a row raised more money than any other island in the state in 2016.

Organizers say the Charity Walk emphasizes and validates the Visitor Industry’s commitment to the community.

The Charity Walk is one of the largest single-day fundraising events in Hawaiʻi. Statewide, in 2016 over a $2 million was raised via walks held on Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, Maui, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi.

Since the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association started hosting the event in 1980, Maui County has raised a cumulative total of $10.4 million, benefitting hundreds of non-profit organizations on Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi. And most importantly, all of the funds raised on Maui, remains in Maui County to benefit the local community and its residents.

The annual Charity Walk is the Visitor Industry’s way of giving back to the community. Many MHLA property and business members work year round to raise funds for this worthy endeavor.

MHLA is a nonprofit organization founded in 1987 to advocate for the Visitor Industry. The organization also provides educational opportunities via the Academy of Hospitality & Tourism and scholarships for UH Maui College students; and benefits the community via the annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk, Excellence in Education golf tournament and Kupuna Dinner.