NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Media Contacts:

Crystal Yamasaki                                                                    Chantel Ikehara

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crystalclearcomms@gmail.com                                                  chantel.crystalclearhi@gmail.com

 Par Hawaii’s Fueling Dreams Campaign Returns to Pump Up

Support for Special Olympics Hawaii Athletes

Make a donation during the 18th Annual Fueling Dreams campaign at any participating

Hele store statewide, starting April 19, 2023

HONOLULU – Par Hawaii’s Fueling Dreams campaign is hitting the road to raise awareness for thousands of Hawaii’s athletes! From April 19 through May 31, island drivers can make a donation to Special Olympics Hawaii athletes when they make a pit stop at 34 participating Hele stores across Oahu, Hawaii Island and Maui. Par Hawaii operates the Hele stores, which were previously known as nomnom stores.

“Every year we look forward to encouraging the community to support our Fueling Dreams campaign to benefit Special Olympics Hawaii’s important work of transforming the lives of athletes with intellectual disabilities,” said Par Hawaii’s Vice President – Hawaii Retail John Peyton. “The organization has a special place in our hearts and we appreciate the generous support of so many of customers who join us in raising funds for these exceptional athletes.”

Par Hawaii, owner and operator of Hele and 76 Hawaii, has been a strong supporter of Special Olympics Hawaii for more than three decades. To date, the Fueling Dreams campaign has raised more than $946,620 for Special Olympics Hawaii athletes and programs. This year, Par Hawaii will be matching customer donations up to $10,000.

“We are extremely grateful to Par Hawaii for their continued support and for believing in our mission to create inclusive sports opportunities for our Hawaii athletes with intellectual disabilities,” says Special Olympics Hawaii’s President and CEO Dan Epstein. “Par Hawaii’s fundraisers and generous contributions create opportunities our athletes might not otherwise have to fuel their dreams.”

All donations received from the Fueling Dreams campaign allow Special Olympics Hawaii to continue to provide programs and training free of charge for more than 3,400 athletes across the state.

Special Olympics Hawaii provides year-round sports training, competitions, health, wellness, leadership, and inclusionary programs to children and adults with intellectual disabilities.  Since 1968 Special Olympics has been changing attitudes about the talents of people with intellectual disabilities and raising awareness to build an inclusive and unified community.

For more information on the annual Fueling Dreams campaign or on Special Olympics Hawaii, please visit www.sohawaii.org. You can also follow Special Olympics Hawaii on Twitter, www.twitter.com/sohawaii, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/specialolympicshawaii, and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/sohawaii.

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About Special Olympics Hawaii

Special Olympics is a global movement that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sports, every day around the world. Through programming in sports, health, education and community building, Special Olympics is changing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities solving the global injustice, isolation, intolerance, and inactivity they face.

Founded in 1968, Special Olympics Hawaii has grown and now serves over 6,000 athletes and Unified partners across the State of Hawaii. Through the unwavering commitment of 10,000 volunteers, along with community supporters, corporate partners and foundations, Special Olympics Hawaii delivers 10 Olympic-type sports and over 50 competitions, hundreds of health screenings, and inclusive programming in more than 70 schools annually.

There is never a fee to any athlete or family to participate in Special Olympics programs. Engage with us on: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Learn more at www.sohawaii.org.

About Par Hawaii

Par Hawaii, the state’s leading provider of transportation fuels, is headquartered in Honolulu and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Houston, Texas-based Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. Par Hawaii owns the state’s only petroleum refinery in Kapolei, Oahu, distributes fuels via pipelines on Oahu and barges to all major harbors in the state, markets fuels through a network of 76 and Hele retail stations throughout Hawaii, and operates the nomnom convenience stores.