LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i joined the rest of the nation in walking for heart benefits, awareness and socializing Saturday at the Puakea Golf Course.
“We haven’t had a heart walk for a long time,” said David Hinazumi of Grove Farm, who took the lead in coordinating the Kaua‘i edition of the morning one-mile stroll through the golf course. “I don’t know how much funds we raised. The important thing is that we have people coming out to walk.”
The Kaua‘i Heart Walk joins the island of O‘ahu and a Hilo Health & Wellness Event, and got support from Hawai‘i Pacific Health, that in addition to fielding a team of walkers, led the walkers in a post-walk cool down with premiums.
“I contacted Tess Shimabukuro from Gather Federal Credit Union, and she was so good,” Hinazumi said. “They have more than a dozen walkers show up.”
Other teams included a group from Macy’s who joined Kaua‘i County Councilmember Bernard Carvalho Jr. in leading the field through a course that embraced the course’s first and ninth holes.
Other team representation included the Hawai‘i Medical Service Association, Kaiser Permanente, Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation, Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital and others.
According the the Hawai‘i Heart Walk website, there is a goal of raising more than a million dollars statewide. Combined, the Hawai‘i Pacific Health and Kaiser Permanente teams across Hawai‘i have raised more than $50,000. Hawaiian Telcom is the fundraising leader with more than $36,000 raised.
Joining the group, Andrew, Abby and Mateo Orozco expressed their gratitude to all the healthcare professionals and the American Heart Association for the family being able to participate in the walk.
“When Mateo was born, he had an undiagnosed illness,” Andrew Orozco said. “We had no control over his life. Everything hinged on the doctors and nurses for keeping him alive. They finally found what was wrong with him. He had a hole in his heart, and at just six weeks underwent lifesaving operations. He’s here today thanks to the work of the American Heart Association in research and efforts at helping people with heart disease.”
The Hawai‘i Heart Walk website states that the event has always been a good way to get moving while socializing with friends, family and coworkers while helping others at the same time.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
