4/17/03 - Alaska Visitor Industry Charity Walk Hi
NEWS RELEASE
Anchorage, Alaska - April 17, 2003
Alaska Visitor Industry Charity Walk History
In 2002, the Visitor Industry Charity Walk continued to grow - with four separate events held in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and for the first time in Juneau and Ketchikan. In Anchorage, more than 3,600 walkers raised more than $122,000 that was distributed to 52 nonprofit groups. The Fairbanks event attracted 820 walkers who raised more than $34,000 for 20 charities, while Juneau held a successful first event with 202 walkers raising $14,000. Ketchikan’s first charity walk included 130 participants who raised more than $5,100 for the March of Dimes.
The Alaska Visitor Industry Charity Walk was founded in 2000 by several members of the visitor industry who were looking for a better way to showcase the incredible generosity of Alaska’s tourism industry. While visitor industry companies large and small have been donating their time, money and in-kind services to numerous nonprofit organizations for years, there wasn’t any one event that showcased the industry’s efforts to give back to the community.
The idea for today’s Visitor Industry Charity Walk (VICW) comes from Hawaii. Chris Von Imhoff, Vice President and General Manager of Alyeska Resort, served on the Board of Directors for the Hawaii Convention & Visitors Bureau and helped to organize a similar event there. Hawaii generously shared successes from their event, also called the Visitor Industry Charity Walk.
The first VICW was held in Anchorage in May 2000, featuring 12 food stations. It was an amazing success for a first-time event with more than 2,200 participants who raised more than $100,000 for 19 charities. In 2001, the event expanded to two separate events – one in Anchorage and another in Fairbanks. More than 3,700 people participated in the Anchorage walk, raising more than $160,000 for 46 non-profit groups.
In 2003, walks will be organized in Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks and Ketchikan. Anchorage organizers hope to attract up to 4,000 walkers to raise $170,000 for local charities.
CONTACTS:
Nance Larsen
(907) 257-2310
nlarsen@anchorage.net
Explore www.anchorage.net
