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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Charity Walk to spotlight military

Advertiser staff

This year's Charity Walk, the 27th annual tourism industry fund-raiser, highlights military appreciation.

2005 Charity Walk

6 a.m. Saturday

Begins at McCoy Pavilion, Ala Moana Beach Park

$35 ($25 for 18 and younger)

www.charitywalk.org

O'ahu: 923-0407

Maui: (808) 244-8625

Big Island: (808) 882-5451

Kaua'i: (808) 826-2273

As part of the theme, a portion of the proceeds will go to military groups. The walk occurs simultaneously on four islands and raised nearly $1 million by about 11,000 walkers last year for Hawai'i-based charities.

Two groups on O'ahu will be getting into the spirit. Outrigger Hotels & Resorts will set up a booth with stationary and pens so walkers can jot notes of appreciation to soldiers in Iraq. Island Colony will make its checkpoint look like a real command post, with a navy warship that sprays misty water to cool off walters and live military band performing.

Theresa Siedlecki, a front-desk manager at the Ilikai, is one person who appreciates the gesture.

She told a group of visitor industry leaders at a breakfast rally April 21 that she's learned a lot from being stationed in Hawai'i with her husband, Chuck. They moved here in 2003 from Buffalo, N.Y.

"I knew moving out here I would have no friends, no family and no job," she said. "But how often do you get to (move to) Hawai'i?"

She said her coworkers at the Ilikai extended a warm embrace, and have helped her not only through the welcome home, but the deployments. Siedlecki's voice began to break as she explained that her husband, a Marine, was about to leave for Afghanistan and won't be back until January.

"I will make it through this deployment," she told the crowd resolutely, "because this haole girl now has an 'ohana."

Other groups will receive aid from the walk, as well: The rotating list of charities include some stalwarts on the charity scene, such as the American Red Cross's local chapter and the Hawaii Foodbank.

Last year, the Charity Walk started something new, explained Murray Towill, president of the Hawai'i Hotel & Lodging Association. Besides funding the groups who had applied, it earmarked about 10 percent of the money raised for public education, its 2004 theme.

An organization has been created by Maj. Gen. Robert G.F. Lee, state adjutant general, called Hawai'i Supports Our Troops, which holds events such as the Dec. 11 Operation 'Ohana gathering at Wheeler Air Force Base. There, families of deployed troops had a day of games, free food and entertainment. It's working to ship care packages to troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, and planning another Operation 'Ohana event for later this year.