Signature Travel Network, has pushed forward with its Owners’ Meeting in Maui, Hawaii this week. The event has been held at the Grand Wailea Maui, a Waldorf Astoria Resort.
Many members describe Signature Travel Network’s annual Owners’ Meeting as the most important Signature event of the year. It’s when the network comes together at the Shareholder’s Meeting to review the organisation’s financials, and shareholding members cast their votes for the board of directors.
Signature co-workers and preferred partners will also deliver presentations on the accomplishments of 2023 and outline the strategic plans for 2024 and beyond. While all these components hold significant importance during the annual event, most attendees describe the networking opportunities and the ability to give back through Signature’s nonprofit charity, Travel Elevates as the true essence of the event.
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Travel Elevates established in 2019, provides Signature members and partners, and by extension travelers, the opportunity to give back to the communities that rely upon travel and tourism for economic stability and development.
The 2022 Owners’ Meeting was the first time Signature held an in-person fundraiser for Travel Elevates, and according to Alex Sharpe, Signature’s President and CEO “it was beautiful on every level. The generosity from partners and members was overwhelming and tremendously appreciated by the vulnerable communities we were able to serve around the world.”
This year, the funds raised through Travel Elevates will be directed towards supporting the residents of Maui through contributions to three local organisations.
Furthermore, Signature members, partners, and coworkers are encouraged to Pack for a Purpose and bring a list of supplies provided by local agencies that are serving island residents who have lost their homes. Donations will be sorted and packaged at the hotel, then turned over to local partners to deliver to the places in need.
“We are proud to support the people of Maui in their time of need,” said Sharpe. “Serving others is a central part of our Signature mission and positively impacting the destinations we sell, and visit is why we started Travel Elevates.”
Sonya Miyashiro, owner of Regal Travel, a Hawaii-based travel company and a 30-plus year Signature member, said “What we admire about Signature is how the organisation always puts people first.
“It was a difficult decision to move forward to have the meeting given the dire situation of the Maui community but the utmost care, deliberation, and heartfelt thoughtfulness that Signature showed, and continues to show, is truly in the spirit of Aloha, and will resonate now and into the future with the support from its members.”
The annual Owners’ Meeting represents the heart and soul of the cooperative, where attendees come together to not only discuss the financial aspects but also to strengthen bonds, share knowledge, and give back to the local community through Travel Elevates.
Three of the organisations that the Travel Elevates fundraiser will support:
The Hawai’i Community Foundation (HCF) is accepting donations through its Maui Strong Fund. The Maui Strong Fund provides financial resources that can be deployed quickly, with a focus on rapid response and recovery for the devastating wildfires on Maui. HCF will not be collecting a fee for donations to the Maui Strong Fund – 100 percent of the funds will be distributed for community needs.
Maui Food Bank provides “safe and nutritious food” to anyone in Maui County who is at risk of going hungry. Maui Food Bank also donates food to disaster relief efforts on the island.
Maui Humane Society is providing rescue, veterinarian, and shelter services to the estimates 3,000+ animals that have been displaced by the Maui wildfires.
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