Hawaii Vacation Condos by Outrigger honored for Lahaina Bypass cleanups

From across the island and on their days off, employees of Hawaiʻi Vacation Condos by Outrigger have traveled to West Maui to pick up trash from along the Lahaina Bypass.

The volunteer work is part of their collective commitment to caring for place, according to a news release. And, that generosity has earned them the No Ka Oi Highway Hui Award from the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation, Highways Maui District.

Since joining Adopt-A-Highway in 2022, the volunteer group has cared for a section of Route 3000, also known as the Lahaina Bypass, from Mileposts 2 to 4. In that time, 317 volunteers removed 263 bags of trash from the state highway, preventing that litter from getting into and potentially harming the ocean and other sensitive ecosystems.

Led and organized by the team at Outrigger Honua Kai Resort & Spa, the cleanups bring together Hawaiʻi Vacation Condos by Outrigger employees from six Maui properties: Outrigger Honua Kai Resort & Spa, The Kapalua Villas Maui, Palms at Wailea, Napili Shores Maui by Outrigger, Royal Kahana Maui by Outrigger and Kaʻanapali Maui at the Eldorado by Outrigger. Employees from Outrigger Kaʻanapali Beach Resort also join in, making each cleanup a shared effort to care for Maui and its environment.

“The Outrigger Way instills in us a responsibility to care for our hosts, our guests and our place,” said Ryan Kelly, general manager of Outrigger Honua Kai Resort & Spa. “These Adopt-A-Highway cleanups are one way we put those values into action, and we’re proud to work for a company that encourages and supports us in giving back. Lahaina means so much to our team—it’s home, it’s community, and it’s a place we’re proud to care for. Seeing our hosts volunteer, many on their days off, to help keep the Lahaina Bypass clean shows how deeply they care about this community. I’m honored to work alongside them.”

“We’re very grateful for the dedication of Hawaii Vacation Condos by Outrigger employees to volunteerism, and the support provided by their respective properties,” said Ty Fukuroku, program manager of Environmental Management, Highways Maui District. “That kind of community-oriented partnership—when businesses and employees come together in the spirit of public service—is a big part of Adopt-A-Highway’s success.”

Adopt-A-Highway is a public service program that works with volunteers to remove trash from along Hawaii’s state highways and help prevent litter and other pollutants from blowing or flowing into the ocean and other bodies of water. Volunteer groups commit to adopting a two-mile segment of a state highway for a minimum of two years, pick up litter on their section of the highway at least four times a year, and undergo safety training before each cleanup event.

Organizations in Maui County interested in signing up for Adopt-A-Highway can search for available highway segments at Highways Maui District’s stormwater website, www.stormwatermaui.com. Applications, cleanup forms, safety training video and program information are also available on the website. Adopt-A-Highway groups receive support from Highways Maui District in the form of cleanup supplies, safety training and the group’s name printed on a highway sign.