PUHI — George Schulze may have retired from being a bus driver, but that didn’t stop him from accompanying Donna Schulze to the numerous events where the American Heart Association- Kaua‘i division was represented. This gesture earned him special recognition
PUHI — George Schulze may have retired from being a bus driver, but that didn’t stop him from accompanying Donna Schulze to the numerous events where the American Heart Association- Kaua‘i division was represented.
This gesture earned him special recognition recently as the AHA-Kaua‘i Division acknowledged Schulze’s efforts with a special award for Outstanding Consistent Volunteerism.
Besides being a steadfast Heart volunteer, Schulze is an avid fan of running events, and helps with the East Kaua‘i Y’s Men’s annual Youth Run, which is staged on the grounds of the Kilohana Estate, that event working well with efforts of Heart Association leaders’ desires to promote healthy lifestyles starting at an early age. Phyllis Stanwood, the community board chair, said, “We had a very successful 2003-04 year. The American Heart Association of Hawai‘i completed its merger into the Pacific/Mountain Affiliate, joining up with nine other Pacific/Mountain states.” The board has been reformatted into a community board consisting of 23 members with the intent of housing a larger number of members to share more of AHA with more community partners as well as to reach and affect more people.
The new board met three times during the year, and members participated in two affiliatewide teleconferences which served as a platform to update members about AHA initiatives, advocacy, and development.
A call for women to take charge of their health was implemented in the Go Red for Women program to help women recognize and reduce their risk for heart disease, with the AHAKaua‘ i Division hosting a symposium featuring Dr. Joanna Magno from Queen’s Health, Dr.
Elizabeth Bjornskov of Kauai Medical Clinic, and AHA Kaua‘i Executive Director Cathy Shanks’ sister speaking on her recent diagnosis and experience with heart disease. The AHAKaua‘ i Division continued to provide CPR for Family and Friends, a non-certification class for the lay person, working with smaller groups such as the Boy Scouts, churches, and family groups, the program’s effectiveness being shown by one of the serving waitresses at the event being trained in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
Dave Walker also implemented a regular Public CPR Infant/Child class at Wilcox Memorial Hospital for new parents and their child caregivers.
Walker also helped place 13 AED, or automated external defibrulators in rural communities on Kaua‘i. The AEDs were funded by the Weinberg Foundation and A&B (Alexander & Baldwin Foundation) grants, and are located at the neighborhood centers at Kekaha, Kaumakani, Hanapepe, Kalaheo, Kilauea. Additional units are located at the Lihu‘e Gardens elderly housing project, the courthouse, Ni‘ihau, the Lihu‘e Airport, the Waimea branch of Ho‘ola Lahui Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i Community College, and Hanalei Center shopping complex.
Donna Schulze was hired as an independent contractor to coordinate and implement the Operation Stroke program through a Vidinha Charitable Trust Grant. The program includes blood pressure and stroke risk assessment screenings at worksite and community events.
Chad and Divina Plowman were recognized as “Champions of Heart” recipients for the couple’s efforts at hosting a special golf tournament that saw a portion of the proceeds turned over to the AHA-Kaua‘i Division. The Plowmans suffered the loss of an infant due to congenital heart failure. Dickie Chang of Wala‘au Productions and Dennis Fujimoto of The Garden Island newspaper were recognized as recipients of the “Humanitarian Media Support” awards, with the Antone & Edene Vidinha Charitable Trust joining the G.N. Wilcox Trust, the Kauai United Way, and the Kaua‘i Visitor Industry Charity Walk as grant supporters of the AHA.
Michelle Medeiros represented Kapa‘a Elementary School, which was honored as the top fund-raising school in the Jump for Heart program that saw participation from ‘Ae Kamali‘i Preschool, Chiefess Kamakahelei School, Eleele School, Hanalei Elementary A-Plus program, Island School, Kalaheo School, Kapa‘a Middle School, Kekaha School, King Kaumuali‘i Elementary School, Malia’s Keiki Hale Preschool, St. Catherine School, St. Theresa’s School, and Waimea Canyon School. Top fund-raiser for the Kaua‘i Heart Walk 2004 was Luciana Vasques.
