GRAND WAILEA MANAGER’S HEAD SHAVED
If you’ve seen Matt Bailey, Managing Director of Grand Wailea, lately, then you probably noticed his new do. He’s walking around with a shaved head, the result of losing a recent wager with the Grand’s staff. Earlier this year he challenged his team to raise more than $32,000 at the Annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk. If successful, he promised to shave his head.
The Annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk just completed its 33rd charity drive, and raised $475,101 for Maui County non profit and community programs. The Grand Wailea team amassed a total of $50,000 through many creative and thoughtful fund-raising methods: dunking booths; karate lessons; the selling of spam musubi, cupcakes and ice cream; spa treatments; activities and pledges. This is the most the Grand Wailea has raised ever and the biggest amount for a single organization in the history of the Visitor Industry Charity Walk. “I think everyone gains weight during this fund-raising time because there is so much good food and it’s all for a great cause,” says Christina Yumul, head of public relations for the Grand. Their team also won first place for best food booth, and best T-shirt design.
“There was no question in my mind that if we hit the goal I’d do it,” says Bailey. “I wanted to do something lasting and dramatic, but I’d already done a dunking booth, and a tattoo of the VICW logo was out of the question. I was amazed by the effort and thrilled with the results.”
In a display in the lobby of the Grand Wailea (whose parent company filed for bankruptcy earlier this year), Bailey donned a black salon cape and went under the buzzer with his staff watching. “In almost 30 years in this business, the majority of them in Hawaii, I don’t know that I have ever been prouder of a team for their community efforts,” he says.
NEW GALLERY OPENS IN WAILEA
The new Peter Max gallery, The Art of Meter Max, opened its doors in the Shops at Wailea last Friday. The artist is well known for revolutionizing the poster art industry in the 1960’s with his graphic, obtainable poster art. This is one of two galleries in the world dedicated to his art. “We were open in Lahaina on Front Street for five years,” says manager David Haken. “That store closed down in late December 2010, and we are happy to relocate to Wailea.”
Robert Dye, General Manager of the Shops at Wailea says the new gallery is the seventh at the upscale shopping complex. “Peter Max has used color and canvas to capture some of the most iconic people, places and pop-culture moments of the past half-century,” he says. “To showcase his talent alongside our existing array of artists is an extraordinary honor for our center.”
Although known for his posters, the 1,225 square-foot gallery will sell original oils and acrylics. Peter Max curates the pieces. “Maui is the most beautiful place on the earth,” Max says. “I have created the Maui Series to honor this beauty with nice colorful scenic images.” While Max will not be at the soft opening, plans are in the works for a Maui appearance. The pieces sell from $900 to $95,000. ■
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