Saturday’s Visitor Industry Charity Walk attracted hundreds to the Queen’s MarketPlace at Waikoloa Beach Resort in an effort to raise monies for local non-profit organizations.
This year, the Visitor Industry Charity Walk was held in all four counties on the same day with neighbor island events happening at Vidinha Stadium on Kauai, Ala Moana Beach Park on Oahu, and Maui’s War Memorial Sports Complex.
The Charity Walk is a fundraiser organized by the Hawaii Hotel & Lodging Association on all four islands in an effort to give back to local charities. Hotels on each island raise funds through their own employees via internal fundraisers, t-shirt sales, and collecting pledges.
With each pledge, the hotel employees are encouraged to participate in the walk with colleagues and their families which typically attracts a turnout of several hundred to 1000 people. The day is topped off with delicious food booths and live entertainment making it an enjoyable event for the whole family.
For the last two decades, Hawaii Island has featured a “fun run” for those looking to go a faster pace and held in conjunction to the Charity Walk. The 3.6-mile course traverses through the Waikoloa Beach Resort with the start and finish at the Waikoloa Bowl next to the Queen Shops. Run race director Kerstin Busse Blunt shared her overall impression for this year’s event.
“There was definitely excitement in the air to finally gather again as friends, as ohana, as coworkers, and as a community at large,” she said. “Like most events, important fundraisers such as the annual Charity Walk have been on hold over the last couple of years and hence the anticipation of seeing others and having a fun, active morning together and getting a little workout along the way was even sweeter.
“The mood and the joy I witnessed was like buzzing bees, people smiling. You could tell everyone was having so much fun. It was a perfect day to be out raising money for a good cause while being active and getting ono grinds.”
Josh Robinson claimed overall bragging rights crossing the finish line in a time of 25 minutes and 25 seconds. Not too far behind were Darius Rusu and Takumi Wetherhell who finished second and third with their times of 26:12 and 26:32 respectively.
In the women’s race for first, Papaaloa’s Melissa Schad took top honors with her time of 27:56. Beata Tou was next with her time of 28:47, followed by Athena Oldfather in third at 29:56.
Busse Blunt added she felt impressed with the large turnout by school communities from Parker School in Waimea and Honokaa.
“They brought teachers, coaches and a big group of high school runners,” Busse Blunt said. “Honokaa High School also sent a bunch of runners. I love seeing the youth getting involved into the sports but also again, each entry helps island charities. I wish more Kona runners would make their way up to Waikoloa and hope we can have even more runners of all ages participate.”
Busse Blunt credited Bambi Lau with the Marriott Waikoloa who organized the entire Charity Walk event with the support of her team, as well as leadership by Craig Anderson, the Hawaii Island Charity Walk chair who is also the VP of Operations at Mauna Kea Resort.
“The run has been a tradition on this island and every year we want to continue it because people love it,” Busse Blunt said when asked about what she enjoys most about organizing the run segment. “Even after leaving my last hotel employment, I continue to volunteer to help because simply I believe in its cause, I love working with the team and it is a fun run.
“We have fun, it is easy going, approachable for all participants, we have emcees, music, food and so many volunteers helping that day, and after all, it is all about getting monies to local charities that invest their resources and efforts back into our community, for the needy and vulnerable.
“We are all part of this island’s community and ohana, so I can’t think of a reason not to volunteer and give back. As a lover of any kind of athletic activity and a participant in other runs/races in the past, I appreciate the work and energy that volunteers give to an event to make the runner feel like a champion, to cheer them on and to help them reach the finish line. When I am not at a start line myself, I go to the other side of the table and say — it is my turn to give back. And I do that with a big fat smile on my face.”
