Mufi's Message - 5/18/17

Congratulations to Kauai, Hawaii Island, and Maui for each raising record funds at their Charity Walks last weekend! Kauai brought in over $275,000; Hawaii Island raised nearly $300,000, and Maui raised an astonishing $1,087,000. With walks on Molokai and Lanai bringing in $33,654 and $38,390 respectively on May 6, Maui County raised a total of $1,159,053.
 
The 39th annual Charity Walk wraps up with Oahu’s walk this Saturday, May 20, 2017 at the Ala Moana McCoy Pavilion. The walk will begin at 7 a.m. and circle through a 5-mile course in Waikiki. Walkers will be treated to food and entertainment before the walk, along the route, and at the end of the walk to make for a day full of fun, food, and fundraising for deserving non-profit organizations. Oahu’s Celebrity Charity Walk Chairpersons this year are Guy Hagi and Stephanie Lum of Hawaii News Now, and Dita Holifield of Salem Media.
 
Last year the Charity Walk raised over $2.2 million statewide. With one weekend to go and $1.7 million raised thus far, our 2017 Charity Walk Co-Chairs Scott Ingwers and Greg Nelson's goal is to raise $500,000 to help exceed last year's statewide total. You can still register online if you haven’t already by clicking the link here.
 
Congratulations to Kelly Hoen on her new position as area general manager of the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort and Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort! Kelly has been an active board member of HLTA which included a successful stint as the Chair of our organization. I’d also like to welcome and congratulate Douglas Rucker who has been appointed as managing director of The MODERN Honolulu.
 
In other news, HLTA’s inaugural Ho’okipa Scholarships have been presented to students Melanie Matsunaga of Kauai High School, Sharmaine Domingo of Maui High School, and Tien Thi Kim Nguyen of Kaimuki High School. The $1000 scholarships were given to students studying in their high school’s Academy of Hospitality and Tourism, and plan to major in hospitality during their college career.This will be an annual award that will be rotated among all participating Hospitality Academies in the coming years. ​