Mufi's Message - June 29, 2021

Public Safety Working Group

Aloha,

Our recent public safety working group was just featured in an article on the front page of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser's Sunday edition. The piece, penned by Waikiki Bureau Chief Allison Schaefers, reported on the numerous proposals and ideas that were discussed by attendees and speakers at last week's hybrid event. In the time since, we have all been working to sift through the wealth of information that was shared to develop a plan to address the myriad issues currently facing our community.

Our steering committee, which includes HHVISA President Jerry Dolak, VASH President & CEO Jessica Lani Rich, WBIDA President & Executive Director Jennifer Nakayama, WIA President Rick Egged, and Retail Merchants of Hawai'i President Tina Yamaki, met yesterday to debrief the event and had a great discussion of the issues reported in Schaefers' article as well as several other that have been raised since last week. We will now set follow-up meetings with the aforementioned individuals and organizations to develop a list of five key areas upon which to focus. Obviously, some of these tasks will be easier to complete than others, and we will look to harvest the lowest hanging fruits first while keeping our eyes on the big picture and the overarching issues.

​Considering the speed with which we pulled this event together and the quality of those who spoke and presented, this may have been our most successful public safety meeting as of yet. Mahalo to each of our speakers as well as the members of the steering committee. Thank you as well to HTA's John De Fries and Keith Regan, Hawai'i Convention Center General Manager Teri Orton, and Projection Presentation Technology for their hospitality.

Hawai'i Island Distribution

Our final #AlohaLater distribution event is scheduled for this Thursday at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel from 1 p.m. through 4 p.m!

As you may recall, #AlohaLater was launched in 2020 to generate funds to support the hospitality workforce during the height of the pandemic. To date, we have used these funds to host distributions of food bundles or gift cards in each county with the goal of assisting furloughed hospitality workers and their 'ohana. We are pleased to partner with KTA Super Stores and their president Toby Taniguchi, as well as with Mayor Mitch Roth to make this final event possible on Hawai'i Island.

For the first time, our food distribution event will provide incentives for hospitality workers on Hawai'i Island who have already been vaccinated along with those who would like to be vaccinated on that day. For the latter, doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be available at the distribution site.

To enroll for the event, please click here.

For those who have already been vaccinated, you will be asked to show proof of your completed vaccination to earn a $50 gift card.

For those who would like to be vaccinated, please register at the link above. You will receive your shot and the $50 gift card at the same time.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact HLTA Director of Membership & Special Projects Ashley Yonamine via email at ayonamine@hawaiilodging.org.

Mahalo,
​Mufi