Thousands came out for a morning stroll and a good cause at the Queen’s Marketplace in Waikoloa on Saturday morning.
Thousands came out for a morning stroll and a good cause at the Queen’s Marketplace in Waikoloa on Saturday morning.
The roads were packed with walkers — and some occasional runners, bikers and piggy-backers — for the 38th annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk.
After the loop route around the grounds of the Waikoloa Beach Resort, participants helped themselves to various food booths from local restaurants and hotels.
The Charity Walk is a statewide event that occurs on the Big Island, Kauai, Lanai, Maui, Molokai and Oahu in May. According to the organization’s website, 11,200 walkers raised over $1.8 million to help local charities in 2015.
The walk started in 1974, when the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association, formerly the Hawaii Hotel Association, sponsored a charitable “Superwalk” to benefit one major charitable organization. In 1978, a vote extended the reach of support offered by the Walk’s fundraising capability. The Visitor Industry Charity Walk is the result of this decision. Since its inception in 1978, over $28 million has been raised to help hundreds of local charities throughout the state.