Hilo wellness event will celebrate health, volunteers and county outreach

Residents looking for health resources, volunteer opportunities and county contacts will find them all in one place at the State Building lanai and nearby county parking lot at 75 Aupuni Street in Hilo, where the Hawaii District Health Office and the County of Hawaii Mayor’s Office will host a midday wellness celebration on Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event is built as more than a fair. Organizers are tying together National Public Health Week, National Volunteer Week and the Mayor’s Health Challenge, with the goal of turning wellness messaging into immediate action. The Hawaii Department of Health said National Public Health Week, observed April 6-12 under the theme “Ready. Set. Action!”, is being marked in Hilo for a fourth year. National Volunteer Week runs April 19-25, and the gathering will include a special appreciation ceremony for volunteers and community partners.

Attendees will be able to connect directly with DOH and county divisions, meet community partners offering wellness resources, and learn about volunteer pathways while live entertainment plays and food trucks serve meals. The program also includes a health fair and a chance to hear from local leaders about keeping the momentum built earlier this year, after the Mayor’s Health Challenge wrapped up in February.

Mayor Kimo Alameda said the day is about more than a single event. “Let’s stay moving, stay connected and keep building a healthier Hawaii Island together,” he said. The department said the challenge centered on five pillars: Heart, Strength, Balance, Flexibility and Weight Management, summed up in the campaign line “fit into your proudest pants.” District Health Officer John Kolman called April 24 the “ultimate day of action” and said the event recognizes that a healthy community depends on both personal commitment and the work of local volunteers and partners.

The timing matters because the county has used this same corner of Hilo as a public-health touchpoint before. A similar event in April 2025 drew more than 250 people in three hours and featured more than two dozen tables, including the American Red Cross, community health organizations, CPR education and free Narcan distribution. That turnout suggests the Aupuni Street gathering is not just ceremonial. For many Big Island residents, it may be the rare afternoon when public health, county services and community service options are all lined up within a few steps of each other.

The Hawaii District Health Office’s Hilo location at 75 Aupuni Street #201 handles services ranging from emergency preparedness and public health nursing to environmental health, vital records and mental health services, giving the event a practical edge beyond celebration.