Blue Zones Project in Central Maui and West Hawaii are officially launched with a whole week of fun activities and events!
In Maui, we kicked things off with an event at the Historic Iao Theater featuring Dan Buettner. Packed with 350 community leaders, families, and friends. Everyone left inspired by the Blue Zones founder’s firsthand account of his travels.
Next was a Purpose Workshop at Maui High School. Over 30 people attended this two-hour workshop to reflect and identify their talents. They even walked out with a personal purpose statement.
To continue the festivities, the Blue Zones Project’s Maui team had their first Walking Moai launch at Baldwin High School. This group started a10-week walking program where they’ll continue moving naturally while they socialize. Good luck to the first Walking Moai Maui team!
We capped off the week with Wailuku First Friday, where 3,000 people came to spend their Aloha Friday. Blue Zones Project took part in the monthly block party with a downshift lounge, Wine @ 5 area, zumba tutorials, and cooking demos.
Maui is off to a great start! With so many people engaged in one week, imagine how happy and healthy the community will become over the next few years.
Over on the Big Island, Blue Zones Project launched in West Hawaii with an event that drew over 1,500 people!
We hosted a community event at Kona Commons with healthy, ono food, keiki activities, vendors, and activities all afternoon. There were fun activities for adults too — hula workshops, interactive zumba, and a downshift lounge.
Dan Buettner talked about the research he did while traveling through the five Blue Zones and gave examples of how Blue Zones Project has worked in other communities across the country as well as in Hawaii.
West Hawaii is excited to join the other Big Island communities in making the healthy choice the easy choice. Now that it’s a countywide initiative, we look forward to seeing a lot more blue around town!
To get involved with Blue Zones Project on Maui, email us at bluezonesprojectcentralmaui@sharecare.com or visit Hawaii.bluezonesproject.com. Like us on Facebook (@bzpmaui) and Instagram (@bzpmaui).
To get involved with Blue Zones Project in West Hawaii, email us at bluezonesprojectwesthawaii@sharecare.com or visit Hawaii.bluezonesproject.com. Like us on Facebook (@bzpbigisland) and Instagram (@bzpbigisland).
Ashley Takitani Leahey is the 
Statewide Engagement Lead for Blue Zones Project – Hawaii and is responsible for strategic marketing and PR as well as providing support for the efforts of the community teams. Ashley received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing and a minor in Studio Arts from Loyola Marymount University. Upon returning to Hawaii, she completed her Executive MBA degree at the University of Hawaii at Manoa while working as the Marketing Innovation and Project Development Manager at Sae Design. Ashley is now making great use of her experience and education to raise awareness for the importance of well-being in her home state. After being introduced to Blue Zones Project and its impacts, she energetically championed the effort in her hometown of Wailuku to bring the initiative to Central Maui. An active community member on numerous non-profit boards and co-owner of local boutique, Maui Thing, Ashley loves to spend her free time outdoors. Whether its tending to her dahlias in the garden or hanging at the beach, she loves her Vitamin D! She’s also obsessed with yoga (for a great at-home yoga sesh, check out yogaglo.com), arts and crafts, HGTV’s Fixer Upper and her chocolate lab!
