It's all about giving back to the Big Island's communities at Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, where associates in all hotel departments continuously devote their time and resources to helping local charities. Here are just two examples of recent fundraising initiatives for Hawaii Island Food Basket and Hawaii Island United Way.
For the past 32 years, Hawaii Hotel & Lodging Association (HHLA) has sponsored the annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk, a fundraiser held on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Molokai and the Big Island that generates money for more than 200 of Hawaii's charities. This year, Chris Tatum, area vice president of Marriott International - North Asia, Hawaii and South Pacific, was the chairman of the event which was held statewide on May 15th. Marriott's Hawaii associates across the state raised funds totaling more than $95,500 and donated nearly 900 volunteer hours of their time and dedication.
Hawaii is renowned for its beautiful white sand beaches, great surf and sunny tropical weather year-round. In April, the associates at the luxurious JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa on Oahu partnered with the Boy Scouts of America and did a beach clean-up. More than sixty volunteers, including three boy scout troops, joined in picking up trash at the lagoons fronting the resort in Ko Olina during Environmental Green Week.
The Spirit of Aloha Tour is now in Salt Lake City and the dynamic sales team of Asha Wignarajah and Michela Dimond representing Marriott Resorts Hawaii visited travel agencies.
For the past five years, Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa has partnered with The Salvation Army's Angel Tree program, organizing a Christmas tree decorated with Angel tags in the resort's associate dining room. This year, we are helping 101 of Hawaii's children and senior citizens in need by donating desired holiday gifts valued at $2,061.
For the past six years, Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa associates have participated in the Ford Ironman World Championship. On October 9th, volunteers comprised of hotel associates and guests hosted an aid station on Queen Kaahumanu Highway near the resort for a portion of the biking leg of the triathlon. Each year 1,800 triathletes are invited to compete in 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking and a 26.2 mile marathon run along the sunny Kohala and Kona coast of the Big Island.
During the month of August, the associates at Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa collectively sold bentos, baked goods, vegetables, popcorn and snacks, spam musubi, Filipino dishes, fried chicken, boiled peanuts, waffle dogs, ice cream, and huli huli chicken - all to raise money for Kapi‘olani Children's Miracle Network. Each department was tasked to create fundraising opportunities that would work for their team's associates, which greatly led to the success of our efforts. In total, we raised $20,300 and presented the check to Stacey Acma, director of Kapi‘olani.
Making a difference was on the agenda at the Travelocity Partner Conference in Phoenix. That’s because we were able to lend a helping hand at homeless shelters during Travelocity's "Travel For Good" volunteer day.
