Red-vested volunteers lined King Street in Downtown Honolulu yesterday morning, hats in hand to help the Red Cross.

Citizens dropped loose change and more into their hats as the volunteers kicked off the annual Hats Off to the Hawai'i Red Cross fundraiser.

"All the money stays in Hawai'i," said fire Capt. Tim Turgeon, who has volunteered at the fundraiser for the past six years. "Hats off to the Red Cross. Empty your ash trays, open your wallets. Donate some money, make yourself feel good."

Turgeon and others launched the start of the annual event yesterday. Today, more than 500 volunteers will be in Mililani, Kane'ohe, Kailua, Pearl City, McCully, Kapolei, Moanalua and at Wal-Mart stores. They'll be out in Maui, the Big Island and Kaua'i, too. The money goes to fund the Red Cross, which last year responded to 26 disasters on the Big Island alone, and trained 33,000 people statewide in first aid, CPR and aquatics.

This is the sixth year for the fundraiser, said Coralie Matayoshi, chief executive officer for the American Red Cross Hawai'i State Chapter. It is one of the major fundraisers for the nonprofit organization, but not its sole source of revenue, Matayoshi said.

"With Hats Off, you can give just a dollar," Matayoshi said. "If everyone gave a dollar, that would be a million dollars. Every little bit helps."

The Hawai'i Red Cross chapter has a $4.2 million annual operating budget and gets much of its funding from grants, but is not a government agency, she said. Last year, the agency raised $150,000 from the Hats Off campaign, she said.

"With the economy, we hope we can reach that," Matayoshi said. "We decided not to raise our target goal because of the economy."

Turgeon, the firefighter and volunteer, has pitched in. He knows how valuable the Red Cross is. Every time a fire company is out on a brush fire, it's the Red Cross that comes with food and drink for firefighters. Turgeon devoted part of his day off yesterday to help what he feels is a noble cause.

"Most of the firemen are willing to help because we have a good relationship already," Turgeon said. "We will get a lot of donations today. People in Hawai'i are really generous."

Alan Hackbarth, another firefighter, was dressed all in red in support of the American Red Cross, right down to his high-top Converse sneakers.

"I know the Red Cross helps our department every time when we are fighting fires," Hackbarth said. "I have to be here because of all the good they do. It's always good to volunteer and it's fun."