KAPAA — Ken Shimonishi, the county’s director of finance, choked back his emotions Saturday morning while representing Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. at the Alzheimer’s Walk at Kapaa Beach Park.
“I was just going to read the proclamation,” Shimonishi said. “That’s all I was supposed to do. But seeing everyone reminded me of when I took care of my dad who had Alzheimer’s.”
Shimonishi was among the more than 150 walkers who took to Ke Ala Hele Makalae for a mile or half-mile stroll to raise funds in an effort at finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.
Walkers took to the Kapaa multi-use path to the rousing performance from the Joyful Noise taiko ensemble, drawing an audience of curious onlookers.
Walkers lit up the path with a garden of flowers from the Promise Garden. A blue flower symbolized “I have Alzheimer’s,” yellow symbolized support or caring for an Alzheimer’s patient, purple symbolized having lost someone to Alzheimer’s, and orange was for support of the cause and a vision for a world without Alzheimer’s.
The goal is to one day have white flowers, borne by Kauai High School Academy of Health and Tourism student Renee Anderson-Navarro, representing the first patient cured, said Steve Tam, the development director for the Alzheimer’s Association from Honolulu.
Alzheimer’s disease affects one in three kupuna, and more than 26,000 people in Hawaii, according to remarks from U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard that were delivered by Kaulana Finn.
Paula Schultz, a co-chair for the walk with Jasmine Yukimura, said results of the fundraising are still ongoing. Contributors have until October to contribute toward helping fight Alzheimer’s and dementia.
“Coming into the walk, the website totals were at $27,600,” Schultz said. “That’s not counting the contributions that came in with the walkers, and we’re very optimistic that we’ll clear more than $30,000.”
Among the walkers, the top individual fundraiser was Rona Miura, who raised more than $1,100.
“That’s a master champion medal,” said Liz Crites, who wore a champion medal, designating that she had put in more than $500.
Grace Delos Reyes with the county’s Agency on Elderly Affairs (AEA) also had a champion medal.
“It’s expensive to care for people,” Delos Reyes said. “I have my husband at the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital, and I care for my parents daily before checking on my husband. I do this every event.”
The Memory Keepers, a team put forth by the AEA, was deemed one of the top fundraising teams with $3,600 and counting. They were joined by the Regency at Puakea team which came up with more than $5,000 through various fundraising efforts, including a big rummage sale held earlier in the year.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
