KAILUA-KONA— The winners of the 22nd annual Charity Trees at Mauna Lani have been crowned. ADVERTISING KAILUA-KONA— The winners of the 22nd annual Charity Trees at Mauna Lani have been crowned. The program, a fundraiser run by the Mauna Lani
KAILUA-KONA— The winners of the 22nd annual Charity Trees at Mauna Lani have been crowned.
The program, a fundraiser run by the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows to raise money for local groups, is a highlight of the holiday season where nonprofits decorate Christmas trees in all sorts of themes and fashions and people vote by putting $1 in their favorite group’s box.
The top three winners receive a payment from the hotel. In total, 41 organizations decorated trees, which brought in $5,460.
But the top winner was the Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba, followed by Hospice of Kona and Kohala Animal Relocation and Education Service.
SUDS brings in wounded veterans and teaches them scuba.
The program developed out of a realization that for many veterans, time in the water was the one time they were free of physical and emotional pain, said Gaylene Hopson, Kona coordinator for the group.
The group uses donations to bring the veterans from hospitals across the country, then trains them in scuba before leading into dives.
They especially love the night dives with the mantas, Hopson said.
This year, the group decorated a blue tree with bubble-like lights and covered it with group photos, masks with faces and diving figurines.
“The photos don’t do it justice, you have to see it in person,” Hopson said.
The group decided to have the figurines match the service members who are involved. They talked with participants with amputations, who approved of the decision to include them, she said, including a wetsuit wearing diver with two prosthetic legs from hip to foot.
People told her “That’s kind of creepy,” she said.
“I said, no, that’s reality,” she replied.
The Mauna Lani Bay granted $2,000 to SUDS, $1,000 to hospice and $500 to KARES. The donated money was split evenly across the remaining 38 participating organizations.
The trees will continue to be displayed through Monday at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows.
