Maui Mall Village hosting island’s inaugural Best Buddies Friendship Walk

Maui Mall Village will host the island’s inaugural Best Buddies International Friendship Walk on Saturday, May 7.

The walk is a fundraiser for Best Buddies in Hawaiʻi, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It also is a community celebration of inclusion of people with disabilities.

Check in is at 8:30 a.m. and opening ceremonies begin at 9:15 a.m. for the event that runs until noon at Maui Mall Village, 70 East Kaʻahumanu Ave. in Kahului.

The community event includes the walk, live music, crafts, games, inspirational speakers, interactive activities and food. Registration for the walk at bestbuddiesfriendshipwalk.org/hawaii is free. There is no fundraising minimum, with funds raised to help local programs. 

Participants who raise $50 will receive an official 2022 T-shirt that can be worn on walk day. More incentives are available for participants who raise higher levels of donations. Once registered, participants will have access to their own personal fundraising page to personalize and keep track of fundraising efforts.

Best Buddies International is dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It is the world’s largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people with these disabilities.

Photos taken at the Best Buddies International Friendship Walk can be tagged #WalkForChange and #MauiMallVillage on Facebook and Instagram.