Great entertainment to support Walk A Mile in Her Shoes benefit
LAHAINA – For a good cause, volunteer, community-conscious performers Darren Lee (a.k.a. Elvis) and Ray Chin and Fred’s Garage will rock the stage this Saturday, Oct. 3, at Whalers Village in Kaanapali from 10 a.m. ’til noon.
The popular, fourth annual Walk A Mile in Her Shoes benefit hosted by Women Helping Women (WHW) and the West Maui Domestic Violence Task Force (WMDVF) is open to the public free of charge.
Support the brave men of our community – sponsor a team; or stand up, take an oath and dare to walk a lap or two “in her shoes or slippers” to raise awareness about domestic abuse and violence until all homes are safe.
The executive director of WHW provided the stats for this type of crime on Maui: “Okay, so looking back at annual reports from MPD (Maui Police Department) going back to 2005, it looks like Lahaina has consistently had between 15 percent and 17 percent of the total Maui County MPD reports for domestic violence. So each year, we have approximately 5,000 cases countywide. That’s about 800 cases in West Maui each year. These cases include verbal abuse, physical abuse, restraining order violations and other associated cases,” Stacey Moniz advised.
Danielle Marie Bergan is a member of the WMDVTF, press person for the fourth annual walk and WHW board member.
“Our goal is to keep raising awareness,” Bergan said.
“At our very first Walk A Mile event, we had maybe 25 or 30 walkers; now we have well over 100. We have different faces in the crowd; we have different people that are becoming aware. They are waking up to the fact that what may have been learned behavior growing up from their dads is not okay now.”
Bergan stressed in her interview with Lahaina News over and over again: “It’s not okay. It’s not okay; it’s not okay; it’s never okay to hit women or children; it’s not okay to abuse women and children.”
Although the message is serious, the two-hour fundraiser slated this Saturday will be a fun, family event, with balloon twisters, face painting, chair massages, public raffle and prizes for participants.
“It’s a lot of fun for a good cause. Many of the men, including policemen and firefighters, participate every year. You’re sure to have a lot of laughs,” community advocate Diane Pure posted in an e-mail blast to her followers.
Bergan added, “We have some fabulous prizes,” including two-night stays at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel (from General Manager Mike White) and The Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas (from G.M. Angela Nolan) and an adventure on Sunshine Helicopters.
“Mike White and Angela Nolan have donated for a number of years,” Bergan said.
“Special prizes have been set aside for the walkers,” Bergan advised, with raffle ticket drawings held throughout the morning.
“The general public can buy raffle tickets to support or make a donation to us,” Bergan added.
Friends, family and community-minded males can register, sponsor teams and donate online at www.eventjoy.com/e/4thannualwalkamile.
The cost to participate is $10 per walker; shoes and slippers are provided.
“The funds raised at last year’s walk were used to help fund the ‘Adopt A Room’-Shelter Renew Project, which was a huge community endeavor and success,” Moniz explained.
“This year’s funds will go to and support the Shelter Care and Maintenance Fund, which will ensure we care for and maintain this beautiful, safe and healing environment,” the executive director added.
Sponsors are HHawaii Media, Whalers Village, Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset, 5A Rent A Space, KONI, County of Maui and Fred’s Garage.
Maui County supports Women Helping Women with signage messages posted on Saturday like “Maui County says NO to domestic violence.”
The emcee is KONI’s own Joe Hawkins.
The entertainers rock with their message and call for domestic peace; it’s inspiring.
“This is Fred’s Garage’s second year as the ‘house band’ for the event,” band driving force Ray Chin said.
He participated in the first two events as a “walker.”
“Fred’s Garage was initially formed by musicians that wanted to exercise their God-given talents in the creation of powerfully strong and socially redeeming rock and roll music. Donating the band’s performances to worthwhile community causes, such as WHW’s WAMIHS, became a natural progression to the band’s philanthropic values. Maui Prep’s Paniolo Night, Sacred Heart’s Bazaar and Realtors Association of Maui’s Realtor’s Got Talent are other examples of nonprofit fundraising events that the band has donated its talents. Additionally, the members of Fred’s Garage are fathers of daughters and sons. Participation in the Walk A Mile in Her Shoes event is not only an honor but a joyful duty,” Chin said.
Fred’s will be sharing the stage with Darren Lee (a.k.a. Elvis of the “Burn’n Love” show in Lahaina) on Saturday.
“Darren Lee is a father of twin four-year-old daughters, and he recognizes the importance of WHW,” Chin observed.
Chin gave the Lahaina News a preview of the set the team will play at Whalers Village this weekend: “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Johnny B. Good,” “Mystery Trains” and even “WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES.”
Chin contributed some inspiring personal advice.
“To the male readers of this article, make a donation to Maui’s Women Helping Women organization. Your donation can be in the form of a financial contribution or a contribution of your time and/or talents; and, in doing so, follow the ‘path’ of your donation.
“Find out how WHW will convert your donation into helping victims of domestic violence. Having this awareness will inspire you and leave you with a profound sense that we all need to make this a better world.”
Chin sadly added, “This event marks the final scheduled performance of Fred’s Garage in its current form. With the departure of a key band member, the band will start the arduous task of finding new musicians that share the passion and values of Fred’s Garage. Nevertheless, on behalf of the band, I want to thank the entire West Maui community for embracing Fred’s Garage and its music. The last four years has been a labor of love.”
Registration for “Walk A Mile in Her Shoes” begins at 9:30 a.m. at Whalers Village, with the schedule of events starting promptly at 10 a.m. For more information, visit WomenHelpingWomenMaui.com or The Walk A Mile West Maui Facebook page.