YMCA provides more fun and less fright with new Halloween events in Hilo

The Island of Hawaiʻi YMCA has been growing in numbers and reach in Hilo, and this expansion will show with the organization’s three-day slate of Halloween fun.

“This is the first time we’re having multiple events for Halloween,” CEO Wendy Botelho said. “We’ve had haunted houses in the past, but I donʻt like the idea of scaring people, so we’re looking to embrace the family this year.”

This year’s goal is to provide families with a place to feel safe and have a good time together, she said.

The YMCA will start the week on Tuesday with a Halloween Carnival, which will feature games hosted by other small businesses and community organizations, including Job Challenge Academy, Goodwill, Girls Scouts of Hawaiʻi, Big Wave Dance Academy, the Keaukaha General Store and the YMCAʻs Junior Leaders Club.  

Carnival admission is free and open to everyone. It runs from 4 to 8 p.m., with costumes encouraged.

For the carnival, each business or organization’s team is creating and hosting a game and collecting tickets from families wanting to participate. The YMCA is not keeping any proceeds from the event. It is about community engagement and is serving as a fundraiser for all the group participants, said Ashley Hanohano, the YMCA’s youth programs director.

“At the end of the night, we’ll cut them a check depending on how many tickets they get,” she said. “We had a ton of different businesses and teams of people that wanted to be part of this, so it’s been pretty easy to get it all together.”

While the carnival fun will be in the upper and lower parking lots of the YMCA, three Zumba classes and a Tahitian dance class will be offered for free inside the gym.

Instructors Liko Nathaniel and Moses Lee will start the Zumba classes from 4 to 5 p.m., Maxine Barrere will host a class from 5 to 6 p.m. and Maryline Kettavong will teach from 6 to 7 p.m. Romy Salvador will finish the night with Tahitian cardio featuring live drums from 7 to 8 p.m.

The free classes during the carnival will showcase just a portion of what is offered through the YMCAʻs gym, which hosts about 60 classes each week. Classes are free with the membership and include qigong, group fitness, circuit training, strength and conditioning.

The YMCA’s Halloween fun will continue on Wednesday with cars filling the same parking lots from 4 to 8 p.m. for Trunk-or-Treat, a different version of the traditional trick-or-treating at residences. 

Volunteers will be filling the trunks of their cars with decorations and candy for a safe event that is perfect for costumed keiki and families. There is an award for “Best Decorated Trunk” and volunteers also are encouraged to wear costumes. 

“Wendy decided to give everyone who has signed up to volunteer and stays the entire night a free gym membership for six months, which is over $200,” Hanohano said. “We got a ton of sign-ups and our parking lot will be full of cars with plenty of candy.”

On Halloween, the YMCA is hosting a potluck for members and staff from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Guests can bring a main or side dish to share, or they can bring a dessert and participate in a sweet contest with a chance to win prizes.

While the homemade food brings everyone together, the annual event is a way for the YMCA team to open a dialogue with their members and gauge how they are feeling about the organizationʻs programming and gym.

To RSVP for the potluck, call the YMCA at 808-935-3721, or email Hanohano at ashley.hanohano@islandofhawaiiymca.org.

“On any given day, there are about 700 people who come through our gym alone, so we’re expecting a large crowd here on Friday,” Botelho said. “It’s a great way to talk with our members and it helps us focus on the community, so we can cater to the current needs of the community, whatever they are.”

Since starting at the YMCA, Botelho said she has been able to foster an excellent team of dedicated employees at the nonprofit. More keiki have been able to attend camps, gym memberships grow every year, programming has expanded and the YMCA is able to host more events for the community. . 

“Our calendar for 2025 is almost full and that has never been the case before,” Botelho said. “I’m sure changes will be made, but for me, it’s amazing to see so many community events planned as we expand our reach into the community.”  

Anytime a challenge comes up, Botelho and her team, including Hanohano, face it and start brainstorming what would be best for their members.

“You have to be creative and able to jump at a moment’s notice. Wendy and I are good at coming up with ideas on the fly within minutes, which definitely helps,” Hanohano said. “I think you have to have that skill in a job like this, especially when there isnʻt much money coming in. You have to be creative and we do a good job of that in my opinion.” 

After Halloween, the YMCA will be preparing for its annual Christmas tree sale, which will be held in the parking lot in December. The online pre-sale is currently open and will close at midnight on Friday, Nov. 1. 

Proceeds from the sale are used to provide scholarships for the YMCA’s school break day camps, which go to children in need. 

“Our Christmas tree sale is amazing and always goes back to the kids in our programs, which is very important since many of them are from lower income homes and working families,” Botelho said. “Everyone deserves a safe place to go, and sometimes that place is the Y for kids. We hope to continue meeting families where they are and doing everything we can for them.”

Applications for the YMCAʻs winter break camp are now open online. Working families are encouraged to apply since the camp gives keiki 5- to 13-years old a safe environment to stay for eight full days while school is out during the holidays.

Keiki will be participating in arts and crafts, gardening, creative writing, physical activities, sports and other excursions during camp, which will be from Dec. 23 to 27 and from Dec. 30 to Jan. 3. Camp will be closed for Christmas and New Year’s Day.  

For more information on the Halloween events, the gym, keiki camps and more programming, visit the Island of Hawaiʻi YMCA website.