Every year we marvel at the results of the Visitor Industry Charity Walk.
Last Saturday, the Maui Island portion of the walk raised over $530,000 for our charities and nonprofits. When added to earlier efforts on Molokai and Lanai, Saturday's haul brought the total to over $550,000 for Maui County.
The 34th edition of the Charity Walk presented by the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association showed once again the generosity of our populace and the enthusiasm of local volunteers. The Maui version is part of a statewide effort. Year after year, our populace donates more per capita and our volunteers raise more than on any other island in the state.
Volunteers go out and get pledges from backers to pay them for each mile they complete of the walk.
Of last year's statewide total of $1,150,000, $492,300 was raised in Maui County. This year's statewide total has not been released, but it is a good bet Maui's 12 percent increase in donations will put it on top again.
Carol Reimann, executive director of the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association, said the amount raised and the number of volunteers set records for the walk. She estimated that more than 2,500 participated this year.
All of the money raised in Maui County will stay here and be distributed among dozens of nonprofits.
Our congratulations go out to all the participants and donors for this record-setting performance. Our thanks go to the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association and the volunteers for the hard work they do year after year to support Maui's nonprofits.
* Editorials reflect the opinion of the publisher.
