400 Participate in Virtual 48th Maui County Senior Fair

The 48^th Maui County Senior Fair – held virtually for the second year in a row due to the pandemic – offered entertainment from Nā Leo Pilimehana and Kaina Kountry, messages from top Hawaiʻi and Maui County government officials, exercise breaks by Enhance Fitness and prize giveaways. About 400 individuals participated via various virtual platforms.

Emceed by Kathy Collins, the two-hour-long Senior Fair was available live via Zoom and on the Maui Economic Opportunity Facebook page and Akaku Channel 54.

There were video and live appearances by Gov. David Ige and his wife, Dawn; Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino; Hawaii’s entire Congressional delegation; Maui County state Senators and Representatives; and all Maui County Council members. Council Member Shane Sinenci offered his recorded message with a song on his ʻukulele.

Local nonprofits that work with seniors, businesses that offer services to kupuna and government agencies with helpful information, such as how to prevent being scammed, produced videos for the Senior Fair.

Nā Leo Pilimehana performed “Beautiful Boy,”  “Flying With Angels” and “North Shore Serenade,” while Kaina Kountry played “Long Hair Country Boy,” “The Dance” and “Wagon Wheel.”

The Senior Fair is usually held at the War Memorial Gym with seniors bused in from all over the island. The pandemic prevented the live event for a second straight year, though 73 prizes were given out in a drawing. Many gift cards to Foodland, Longs, Safeway and other retailers were donated by elected officials, nonprofit agencies and businesses and announced during the program.

Winners of the top prizes – a 32-inch smart TV donated by Council Member Yuki Lei Sugimura and six robotic Furry Friends offered by the Maui County Office on Aging – were notified individually.

Winners of the drawing will be receiving their gift cards in the mail. 

This event was produced by MEO and was funded by the Office on Aging. It can be viewed on the MEO Facebook page.