LIHU‘E — The annual Kaua‘i Retired and Senior Volunteer Program recognition day luncheon was held earlier this month to recognize the valuable contributions of RSVP volunteers on Kaua‘i who help 80 public and private non-profit agencies. The theme of the
LIHU‘E — The annual Kaua‘i Retired and Senior Volunteer Program recognition day luncheon was held earlier this month to recognize the valuable contributions of RSVP volunteers on Kaua‘i who help 80 public and private non-profit agencies.
The theme of the event was “Hau‘oli La Ho‘omana ‘o He Kanakolukumalima e RSVP, Happy 35th Anniversary RSVP!”
Over 400 volunteers and guests attended the luncheon, which was held at the Hilton Kaua‘i Beach Resort.
RSVP Advisory Council Chair Gladys Fujiuchi delivered welcome remarks and introduced special guests. The invocation and blessing was done by Reva Stiglmeier, and RSVP Director Faith Muraoka conducted the volunteer recognition ceremonies.
Congratulatory remarks were delivered by Laurie Yoshida, Kaua‘i liaison for Gov. Linda Lingle, and Mayor Bryan Baptiste, while messages from U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka and U. S. Rep. Maizie Hirono were read by emcee Chala Vidinha.
Among the volunteers who were honored for their years of service were the following:
• Reva Stiglmeier and Carrie Stine — 29 years of service
• Ulderico Abreu, Asae Fujimura, Dorothy Higuchi, Kay Lee, Lillian Takiguchi, Chizue Teshima, Laura Toma, and Kikue Yamamoto — 20 years
• Annie Cabanting, John Iwamoto and Marie Petro — 15 years
• Josephine Dela Torre, Kiyoko Hashimoto, Naoko Ho, Yoshiko Kono, Marilyn Matsumoto, George Schulze, Rose Souza, Warren Stine, Castora Suero, Audrey Takemoto, and Sylvia J. Thomason — 10 years
• Norman Braun, Cathline Broyles, Pearl Camara, Geraldine Costa, Natsuko Daida, Thelma Doi, Mel Gabel, Vera Gabel, Sumako Ichimasa, Kiyome Iwamoto, John Johnson, Stella Kaneko, Takashi Kondo, Bernice Kubota, Bill Laidlaw, Domingo Lutao, Shigeko Masuda, Sachi Mori, Takako Nakamura, Augustine Navarro, Lorna Navarro, Henrietta Orsatelli, Anna Rita, Carolina Santos, and Dolores Sarmiento — 5 years
The RSVP Advisory Council members and volunteer representatives were also recognized including:
• RSVP Advisory Council members — Shirley Akita; Timothy Albao; William “Bill” Arakaki; Gladys Fujiuchi; Daniel Hamada; Richard Iwamoto; Dorothy Kunioka; Earl Miyao; George Mukai; Suzette Naito; Vernon Paler; Robert Rivard; Maile Semitekol; Pamela Sokei; Reva Stiglmeier; Dennis Williams and ex-officio member Kealoha Takahashi.
• RSVP volunteer representatives — Sakiko Okihara, Nobue Watanabe, Chizue Teshima, Georgia Lomosad, Henrietta Costa, Dorothy Brierley, Sumako Ichimasa, Fusako Tamashiro, Stella Miyoshi and Clorinda Nakashima.
Before the luncheon ended, Faith Muraoka acknowledged the numerous businesses and individuals who helped make the event a success including: Aloha Airlines; Aloha Beach Resort; American Savings Bank; BHP Gas Co.; Bank of Hawai‘i; Big Save, Inc. Central Pacific Bank; First Hawaiian Bank; Garden Isle Disposal; Gaspro; Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort & Spa; Grove Farm Company, Inc; and Hanama’ulu Café.
Also, Hawaiian Airlines; Hilo Hattie; Hilton Kaua‘i Beach Resort; Ishihara Market; Kaua‘i Builders; Kaua‘i Community Federal Credit Union; Kaua‘i Government Employees Federal Credit Union; Kaua‘i Kookie Kompany; Kaua‘i Marriott & Beach Club; Kaua‘i Nursery & Landscaping; Kmart; Kukui‘ula Development Co. Hawai‘i; Lihu‘e Credit Union; Pono Market; Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort; Shioi Construction, Inc; Star Market; Sueoka Store; Territorial Savings & Loan Association; Thrifty Mart; Vacations Hawai‘i; Wailua Marina Restaurant; and Wal-Mart.
The sponsoring agency for the RSVP program is the County of Kaua‘i Agency on Elderly Affairs.
