PUHI – Kaua’i’s reaction to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks dominated this year’s 2002 Governor’s Kilohana Awards program as Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kaua’i Visitors Bureau, was awarded top honors in the Adult category for the volunteer work
PUHI – Kaua’i’s reaction to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks dominated this year’s 2002 Governor’s Kilohana Awards program as Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kaua’i Visitors Bureau, was awarded top honors in the Adult category for the volunteer work she performed to reopen the Lihue Airport following the disasters.
“She spent countless hours organizing the mass exodus at the hotels and airport,” wrote Nalani Brun in her letter of nomination. “She rose above the turmoil and became Kaua’i’s team leader and a strong player on a situation that called for a calming presence.”
Kanoho was not alone in being a heroine in the aftermath of Sept. 11 as county Office of Economic Development Director Gini Kapali and Ed Matsukawa of Kaua’i Island Tours were also nominated for their roles in getting visitors off island and back home following the incident.
Roger Cable was involved in the emergency effort and was one of the Senior Category nominees. Cable’s efforts saw him spend countless hours behind a Rotary phone tree used to mobilize dozens of Kaua’i Rotarians to provide continuous manpower to support the recovery efforts.
In addition to these volunteer nominees, special recognition was accorded the 9-11 Team that assembled to coordinate the mass exodus of visitors anxious to return home.
The pending purchase of Kaua’i Electric also made its way into the Kilohana awards program as Dennis Esaki was nominated in the Adult Category for his efforts with the citizen group that had to compete with Fortune 500 companies that is trying to turn the utility into a member-owned, non-profit cooperative. Turk Tokita’s grassroots efforts for the same goal earned him a nomination in the Senior Category.
Students from Kaua’i’s three high schools who make up the Health Occupations for Teens (HOT) Club captured the Youth Category for their work in serving as hospitality aides at Wilcox Hospital, helping at the Kaua’i Community College Women’s Annual Health Fair, and performing at the YWCA Women’s Shelter during the Christmas season.
Paz Valdez and Linda Wong tied for honors in the Senior Category, with Valdez earning her accolades for the work she does with children at the YWCA shelter.
It was noted that Valdez is the only senior citizen working at the shelter at night doing everything from changing diapers to talking story, and providing one-to-one attention as well as leading group activities.
Wong has been a volunteer for the Emergency Food Pantry in Kapa’a for 30 years and drives to the major grocery stores on Kaua’i each week to pick up donated food items that she takes to the Kaua’i Food Bank to help feed the needy. Her food deliveries to isolated homebound seniors is a demonstration of her attitude that is focused on improving the lives of others, said Judy Lenthall who nominated Wong.
The Aloha Peace Project, winner of the Kaua’i Project Category, is an apt name for the outreach program that incorporates peace education and the principles of peace-building skills.
Started by Laura Taylor, the program helps children learn that peace begins within their hearts and reaches out to other individuals and groups, eventually extending throughout the planet.
Keynote speaker Lorraine Akiba, former state Department of Labor Director, as well as Mary Matayoshi of the State Volunteer Services acknowledged each nominee as a winner for their volunteerism.
However, the group will be represented at a formal recognition program at Washington Place later this month to coincide with Volunteer Week courtesy of Aloha Airlines.
This year’s nominees were:
Youth: Health Occupations for Teens (HOT) Club
Adult: Donna Apisa, Carl Berg, PhD., Joseph Enrique II, Dennis Esaki, George Gosselin, Sue Kanoho, Gini Kapali, Ed Matsukawa, Eddie Sarita.
Senior: Roger Cable, Jean Odo, Barbara Perreira, Ruth Smith, Turk Tokita, Paz Valdez, Linda Wong.
Business: none
Project: Aloha Peace Project, Kaua’i Community College Nursing Club, Kaua’i Sunshine Market, Kaua’i Veterans Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Kaua’i Veterans Memorial Hospital Charitable Foundation, Kilauea Community Outreach Program (KCOP), and the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.
B.B. Choi served as the evening’s host with Akiba and the former governor’s Kaua’i liaison Roy Nishida presenting each of the nominees and winners their accolades.
Staff Photographer Dennis Fujimoto can be reached at mailto:dfujimoto@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 253).
