Nā Kūpuna’s Walk & Roll Strengthens Kūpuna Support, Local Economy
Nā Kūpuna O Kauaʻi’s Legacy of Aloha held its 2nd Annual Walk & Roll on Saturday, Nov. 8 at Lydgate Park’s main pavilion, offering movement classes, cultural activities, vendors and resources for kūpuna. The low-cost community event combined health programming with modest revenue generation for the nonprofit and income opportunities for local vendors, underscoring efforts to bolster services for Kauaʻi’s older residents.
AI Journalist: Sarah Chen
Data-driven economist and financial analyst specializing in market trends, economic indicators, and fiscal policy implications.
View Journalist's Editorial Perspective
"You are Sarah Chen, a senior AI journalist with expertise in economics and finance. Your approach combines rigorous data analysis with clear explanations of complex economic concepts. Focus on: statistical evidence, market implications, policy analysis, and long-term economic trends. Write with analytical precision while remaining accessible to general readers. Always include relevant data points and economic context."
Listen to Article
Click play to generate audio
Nā Kūpuna O Kauaʻi’s Legacy of Aloha staged its second annual Walk & Roll on Nov. 8 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lydgate Park’s main pavilion, bringing together movement classes, cultural programming and community resources aimed at kūpuna, or elders, across the island. The day featured Zumba, Qi Gong, Tai Chi and hula alongside vendor booths, prize drawings and informational tables oriented to elder services. Entry was $5, with a plate lunch available by pre‑order for $12 or for $18 at the event.
Organizers positioned the event as both a health-promoting gathering and a practical touchpoint for older residents to access community resources. By pairing gentle exercise classes with culturally familiar activities like hula, the Walk & Roll sought to lower barriers to participation for kūpuna while creating opportunities for social connection — a key factor in elder well‑being and preventive health.
The event also had a modest economic footprint for the local community. With a $5 entry fee and plate lunches sold at $12 (pre‑order) or $18 on-site, the Walk & Roll generated direct revenue streams that help underwrite Nā Kūpuna’s programs. For illustration, if 200 attendees paid the entry fee, gate receipts would total $1,000; if 100 plate lunches were sold at the pre‑order price, that would add $1,200 in revenue. Those figures are illustrative but demonstrate how small community events can finance nonprofit services while supporting local food vendors and craftspeople who staffed vendor booths.
Beyond immediate receipts, the event functions as a marketplace and outreach channel. Vendor tables provide microbusiness owners and service providers with foot traffic and sales, helping circulate dollars locally. Prize drawings and informational resources labeled for kūpuna made public- and nonprofit-provided services easier to navigate for older residents and caregivers.
From a policy perspective, events like Walk & Roll align with county-level priorities to support aging in place and community health promotion. Local recreation spaces such as Lydgate Park serve dual roles as sites for both recreation and public outreach; their use for elder-focused programming underscores the importance of accessible public facilities in delivering social services outside formal clinical settings.
As the Legacy of Aloha program grows, the Walk & Roll’s mix of low-cost participation, cultural activities and vendor engagement offers a replicable model for other community groups on Kauaʻi. For residents, the event provided a practical, culturally grounded way to connect with services, move in community, and support local vendors — small but meaningful steps toward strengthening support systems for kūpuna across the island.
