Happy Camper
June 12 2020
More kudos to Kelvin Moniz, Leona Perez (Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank) and Duke’s leaders Derek Kessler, Jaime Arriola, Derrick Iha who got help from the Morgan Lopez of the Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association, Kaua‘i Branch, the Zonta Club of Kaua‘i
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Happy Camper
May 29 2020
Debbie Yanagihara and Kaua‘i Beach Resort general manager Robert ‘Mick’ Minicola prepare for the first of the associates’ cars picking up food packages, Wednesday.
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Kauai Beach Resort Delivers Drive Thru Food
May 29 2020
‘We love you!’ Volunteers from the Rotary Club of Kapa‘a, the Zonta Club of Kaua‘i, East Kaua‘i Lions Club, and the Kaua‘i Beach Resort prepare to greet the first cars, Wednesday during the Kaua‘i Beach Resort’s food distribution for its laid off associates and families.
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Island Image Hawaii Donates Shirts
May 21 2020
LIHU‘E — Island Images Hawai‘i donated several cartons of shirts, Tuesday to The Salvation Army. “These are blanks remaining from the closure of the Kmart store, and we still sell them on Saturdays,” said Ethel Santos of Island Images Hawai‘i. “They’re not logo-ed shirts since the logo wear belong to the logo owners. We loaded several boxes of shirts.”
Morgan Lopez, the executive director of the Hawai‘i Lodging &Tourism Association, Kaua‘i Branch, said Island Images Hawai‘i is an HLTA member, and are currently waiting on the finalization of this year’s Charity Walk shirts before proceeding.
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Waipouli Sheraton Gives Meals to Associates
May 20 2020
Sheraton Kaua‘i Coconut Beach General Manager Chris Machorek greets cars arriving for the lunchtime meal and food distribution for the resort’s laid-off associates and their families Tuesday in Waipouli.
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The Many Masked Faces of Relief
May 17 2020
The Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association Kaua‘i Branch board members and other volunteers at the 2,000-meal distribution get a video record of the HLTA’s presentation of $10,000 to the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank Friday at the Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort in Po‘ipu.
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Hawaii Hotels for Heroes Makes Changes as Demand Increases
April 15 2020
HONOLULU — A Hawaii program providing free hotel rooms to health workers responding to the coronavirus has been modified after the demand exceeded the number of available rooms.
More than 870 room nights have been reserved through the Hotels for Heroes program, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Tuesday.
The overwhelming demand forced organizers to make changes including limiting workers to seven-day reservations.
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Hotels for Heroes Program Kicks Off Today
April 6 2020
LIHU‘E — Today, the “Hotels for Heroes” program begins at eight participating hotels on Kaua‘i, part of a statewide movement to offer hotel rooms free of charge to state and county first responders and health-care essential workers.
Some 33 hotels statewide are opening their rooms to these appreciated workers.
The program is sponsored and was created by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association and Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau.
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Charity Walk Postponed
March 29 2020
LIHU‘E — The annual Kaua‘i Visitor Industry Charity Walk, celebrating its 42nd year and originally scheduled for May 9, has been postponed until Nov. 21 at the Vidinha Stadium soccer fields, announced Morgan Lopez, executive director of the Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association Kaua‘i Chapter.
“As the COVID-19 situation continues to deteriorate in Hawai‘i, it has become abundantly clear that we must, in the name of public health and safety, postpone the annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk,” Lopez said.
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Happy Camper
March 8 2020
Morgan Lopez and Dan King of the Hawai‘i Lodging &Tourism Association Kaua‘i Chapter were super busy, helping host the Maison du Savoir event at Kaua‘i Community College (yes, Coach Ipo Yoshioka was there, along with Gary Elwood and his creative-media people), and then less than a day later, launched the 2020 Kaua‘i Visitor Industry Charity Walk festivities.
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Maison du Savoir Helps Culinary Students
March 6 2020
Maison du Savoir, an event presented by the Hawai‘i Lodging &Tourism Association Kaua‘i Chapter, the American Culinary Federation Kaua‘i Chapter and Kaua‘i Community College culinary-arts program, was all about the students Wednesday at the college’s fine dining facility.
Tevyn Hardesty, a student in the garde manger class, was assigned to spending the event pulling mozzarella balls for the 150 guests at the sold-out event.
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42 Years of Fun and Helping
March 6 2020
Dan King, general manager for the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort & Spa in Po‘ipu and president of the Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association, Kaua‘i Chapter, welcomes guests to the 2020 Kaua‘i Charity Walk launch Thursday.
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Lodging Employees Honored
January 19 2020
Excellence in Community Service Winner Sheraton Kaua’i. From left: Area Vice President Hawai’i, Pacific NW & Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort General Manager Michael Jokovich, Director of Revenue Management Isaiah Sadler, Director of HR Leslie Webb, Hotel Manager Katie Brenner, General Manager Chip Bahouth, Annette Bolf Executive Assistant, Director of Finance Yon Hui Burgett, Director of Food & Beverage Michael Young, Director of Engineering Bert Ponce, and HLTA President & CEO Mufi Hannemann.)
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Kauai Independent Food Bank Shelves Swell with Donations
November 29 2019
Kelvin Moniz of the Kauai Independent Food Bank accepts more than four tons of food, and $3,688 from representatives of the Marriott International on Kauai.
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HLTA Kauai Chapter Holds 22nd Annual Malama Awards
November 20 2019
The Malama Awards recognize outstanding employees in Kauai’s hospitality industry who go above and beyond the call of duty to provide guests with exceptional lodging experiences.
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Hawaii Visitor Industry Event Focuses on Sex Trafficking
November 6 2019
Hawaii’s tourism industry held a conference warning hotel owners and employees of the prevalence of sex trafficking at visitor properties and providing information about how to fight it.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority funded the inaugural Campaign for a Safer Community symposium in partnership with the Hawaii Tourism and Lodging Association and anti-sex trafficking group Ho’ola na Pua, news organizations reported.
The Honolulu event Monday was the first of four, with conferences also scheduled this week on Maui, Hawaii island and Kauai, officials said.
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Happy Camper
August 16 2019
Kudos to Morgan Lopez, Chip Bahouth, Jacob Vogelgesang and all the Visitor Industry Charity Walk Committee on getting the proceeds of our Kauai walk into the hands of the 60 nonprofit groups! And more mahalo to Paul Toner (even got a glimpse of chefs Guy Higa and Rey Montemayor) for the breakfast spread (Kelvin Moniz said the smoothie was a winner).
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Charity Walk Funds Distributed to Nonprofits
August 14 2019
Representatives of the 60 nonprofit organizations and the Charity Walk Committee celebrate the awarding of funds from the Kauai Visitor Industry Charity Walk over breakfast at the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club, Tuesday.
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Charity Walkers Blaze Past Goal
May 12 2019
Jacob Vogelgesang, one of the Kauai Visitor Industry Charity Walk leaders, had an amazing birthday present, Saturday at the North Vidinha soccer fields.
“Today is Jacob’s birthday,” said Ron Wiley, the emcee for the 2019 Kauai Visitor Industry Charity Walk. “Jacob has been involved with the charity walk for a long time. With a goal of $410,000 in mind, today you folks helped raise $442,404! We also had more than 2,000 walkers participating to help the 60 nonprofit organizations with the work they do to help our island.”
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Happy Camper
May 8 2019
It’s here! The Kauai Visitor Industry Charity Walk kicks off Saturday with registration starting at 6:30 a.m. (roads start closing at 6:45 a.m.!) at the North Vidinha fields. Go visit Morgan Lopez, Chip Bahouth, Jacob Vogelgesang, and all those community leaders who help about 60 of Kauai’s nonprofit groups.
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Saturday Pancakes Help Charity Walk
April 29 2019
Tish Charette of Washington and Peggy Burns of Boston said they didn’t have any plans set for Saturday, so took up the invitation of Hawaii Lodging &Tourism Association Kauai representative Morgan Lopez to check out the charity walk pancake buffet at the Kauai Beach Resort.
“We were at Ahukini where we met one of the leaders,” said Paula Laballee of Washington. “She told us about this, so we thought we’d come and enjoy some pancakes since we had no plans for today.”
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Fishing for Charity Reels in the Big Ones
April 29 2019
The big ones came rolling in, Sunday during the weigh in for the 2019 Fishing for Charity Shoreline Challenge at the Sheraton Kauai Resort grounds, just west of the wing being renovated.
The construction moved the weigh in to the grassy area between the resort and the parking lot and offered fishermen a variety of activities, including free food, a bounce house, keiki games, a fishpond, and a prize giveaway. These activities filled in the time between weighing in and the announcement of winners following the two-hour weigh in period.
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Kukuiula Pau Hana Benefits Local Walk
April 10 2019
The Shops at Kukui‘ula recently dedicated its monthly Flavors of Kukui‘ula pau hana to the 2019 Kaua‘i Visitor Industry Charity Walk.
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We don’t forget
April 2 2019
The Hawaii Lodging &Tourism Association, in partnership with the Hawaii Tourism Authority, distributed $38,000 in grants to seven nonprofits on Kauai during a ceremony Monday at the Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club.
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Happy Camper
April 1 2019
Kauai Visitor Industry Charity Walk chairs Chip Bahouth, left, and Jacob Vogelgesang talk peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with Lihue Lutheran Church Mobile Munchies volunteers Friday at the Flavors of Kukuiula at The Shops at Kukuiula. The program is one of the nonprofit groups that benefit from the walk.
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Ready to Walk
March 27 2019
Barb Holwegner of the Lihue Lutheran Church Mobile Munchies program turns over handmade quilts that will be used to help the Visitor Industry Charity Walk to Annette Wong of the Sheraton Kauai Resort.
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Charity Walk Raises the Bar in its 41st Edition
One of the largest and longest-running annual fundraisers on Kaua‘i is stepping up its game this year, eyeing a goal of nearly $50,000 more than the $362,000 record-setting fundraising effort of 2018. “The Charity Walk is a way for people who benefit from the visitor industry to give back to 60 different nonprofits on Kaua‘i,” said Jacob Vogelgesang, Director of Operations of the Marriott Waiohai Beach Club & Resort
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Charity Walk Takes a Giant Step
August 16 2018
Mufi Hannemann, president of the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association, joins representatives of recipient nonprofit organizations and members of the Charity Walk steering committee, including Kauai walk co-chairs Chip Bahouth and Christina Gabriel, in celebrating the distribution of funds from the 2018 walk, Wednesday morning at the Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club.
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Visitor Industry Gives $25,000 to help Kauai flood victims
May 12 2018
Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association President and CEO Mufi Hanneman, fifth from left, presents a check for $25,000 to Kauai Economic Opportunity CEO MaBel Fujiuchi, fourth from right, for Kauai flood relief. From left are Annaleah Atkinson, Stephanie Fernandes, Jason Honjiyo and Kathryn Martin of KEO, Hanneman, Fujiuchi, Jim Braman, Joseph Figaroa, Sandi Kato-Klutke and Christine Gabriel.
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