Charities

While the Underpants Run started as a “protest run” to poke fun at athletes who seemed to wear their swim attire in all the wrong places, we quickly realized that this was a perfect opportunity to give back to the local community that hosts Ironman.  The charities we’ve chosen are all local to the Kailua-Kona community and represent our belief in supporting the Hawaiian aloha spirit.  All of the money raised is collected by Multisports.com and then divided amongst our local charities.

VASH

(Visitor Aloha Society of Hawai`i)
MISSION: to share the aloha spirit with visitors affected by adversity.
We recognize that even during the fun and relaxation of vacations, unfortunate events can happen. And when far from home, visitors do not usually have access to their own support systems and resources.
VASH assistance is designed to help visitors cope with and recover from a variety of unfortunate situations such as crime victimization, the loss of a purse or wallet, medical situations, or the death of a loved one. When we receive referrals from the Hawai`i County Police Department, local area hospitals, airport security and others in the visitor industry, we assess each visitor’s situation and needs on a case by case basis to offer appropriate supportive services.

For more information visit vashbigisland.org

 

West Hawaii Special Olympics

The mission of Special Olympics is provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities (formerly called mental retardation), giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

 

Ahu’ena Heiau

The Ahu’ena Heiau rock platform base, perimeter wooden fencing, Anu’u Tower and an uprooted ki’i were all damaged from the recent tsunami.

Ahu’ena Heiau, Inc. has surveyed the damage, consulted the State Historic Preservation Division and is working closely with a qualified historical site restorations coordinator. We are currently seeking grants to repair and restore the tsunami damage.

Kamakahonu Bay at Historic Kailua Village.

The Ahu’ena Heiau (recently restored) is the religious temple that served Kamehameha the Great when he returned to the Big Island in 1812.

The center of political power in the Hawaiian kingdom during Kamehameha’s golden years, his biggest advisors gathered at the heiau each night. Three momentous events occurred here which established Ahu’ena Heiau as the most historically significant site in Hawaii:

• In the early morning hours of May 8, 1819 King Kamehameha I died here.
• A few months after the death of his father, in a time of political consternation and threat of civil war Liholiho (Kamehameha II) broke the ancient kapu system, a highly defined regime of taboos that provided the framework of the traditional Hawaiian government.
• The first Christian missionaries from New England were granted permission to come ashore here on April 4, 1820.

Not until the mid-1970s, over 150 years after these historical events unfolded, was an accurate restoration project under taken. A community-based committee Ahu’ena Heiau Inc., formed in 1993 to permanently guide the restoration and maintenance of this national treasure.

Kamakahonu:
Designated National Historic Landmark, December 29, 1962
Designated Hawaii State Register of Historic Places, July 17, 1993

For more information, visit ahuenaheiau.net