LIHU‘E — Koren Refamonte was honored Monday for her ability to fill spaces with color and decoration. Surrounded by Kaua‘i’s delegation to the state Legislature, the governor’s liaison, co-workers and managers from Martin Roberts Design, and the staff from the
LIHU‘E — Koren Refamonte was honored Monday for her ability to fill spaces with color and decoration.
Surrounded by Kaua‘i’s delegation to the state Legislature, the governor’s liaison, co-workers and managers from Martin Roberts Design, and the staff from the Kaua‘i state Department of Human Services Vocational Rehabilitation & Services for the Blind Division, Refamonte was honored as the Kaua‘i Vocational Rehabilitant of the Year.
“Koren brings construction knowledge and ‘connections’ to her work, so that she is now in charge of doing structures and other props in addition to her floral design,” said Laurel Brier, Refamonte’s VR counselor, in a report.
But the design work being done by Refamonte was not always in the floral industry.
For two decades, Refamonte was employed by the painter’s union where she rose to foreman in a non-traditional field for women, painting, hanging wall coverings and supervising a crew.
This was a field she enjoyed until the mid-1990s when she started feeling fatigued, shaky and suffering from cognitive lapses, the report states.
Several years passed before Refamonte was diagnosed with multi-organ dysfunction and thyrotoxicosis, resulting from chemical exposures.
Following a year undergoing evaluation and treatment at the Environmental Health Center in Texas, Refamonte tried to return to painting, but lacked the stamina and strength.
But most distressing was her cognitive difficulties in organizing thoughts, focusing, remembering and expressing herself — exposure to chemicals placing her at risk for more problems, Brier’s report states.
That placed Refamonte at a crossroads, having to decide what to do.
As a hobby, Refamonte had done floral arrangements and decorations for family and friends, and turned to that field, enthusiastic about the possibility of doing something she enjoyed.
She started by volunteering with a florist on O‘ahu in 2007, and by 2008 was spending a lot of time on Kaua‘i pursuing small floral jobs with people she knew.
In January, 2009, the Kaua‘i VR office established an internship with Martin Roberts Design with special arrangements for a co-worker to work one-on-one with her, Brier’s report states.
On successful completion of that internship, Refamonte was hired, the first “local” person hired by MRD.
In the report, Brier said Refamonte’s employment has added another dimension to the company and a lot of aloha to the workplace.
Brenda Viado, the Kaua‘i branch administrator for the VR division, said Refamonte’s honor opens National Disability Employment Awareness Month on Kaua‘i.
“We are very grateful to our Kaua‘i business community for their support, especially in these truly difficult economic times,” Viado said in an e-mail.
“We have really seen a drop in hiring in general, and especially for people with disabilities. However, we have some outstanding employers who have opened their doors to providing work experiences and ‘internships’ for training and work experience without having to promise employment at the end of the experience. We are very excited that some of these have turned into actual employment as was the case with Koren Refamonte,” said Viado.
Refamonte said she loves this job where she can be creative and productive.
“No individual in our nation should face unnecessary barriers to success,” said President Barrack Obama in signing the National Disability Employment Awareness Month proclamation Oct. 1. “No American with a disability should be limited in his or her desire to work.”
In addition to increasing her skills in floral design with a progressive, cutting-edge company, Refamonte is also gaining computer and technology skills that used to intimidate her, Brier said in her report.
State Sen. Ron Kouchi, D-Kaua‘i-Ni‘ihau, presenting the Senate commendation to Refamonte, said he could tell by the glow on her face that she really enjoys her work.
Brier concluded her report by noting that Refamonte’s workplace is a new atmosphere for her, but she has never smiled so much or laughed as hard as when working at MRD. She has learned a greater acceptance of others and feels it is the key to being “successful” in the workplace, Brier said.
Viado said in addition to honoring the VR Rehabilitant of the Year, the VR division will be supporting the National Federation of the Blind during its annual White Cane Safety Day celebration, Thursday at Kukui Grove Center (watch for a story and photographs on that event).
This will be followed by the honoring of the VR Employer of the Year on Tuesday, said Viado.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
