Lillian Takanishi recently accepted the Hawai‘i State Teachers Association — Retired Distinguished Service Award from outgoing president Kaui Gilmore. The award is presented in recognition to a retired member of HSTA-Retired who has contributed to HSTA-Retired and the community, said
Lillian Takanishi recently accepted the Hawai‘i State Teachers Association — Retired Distinguished Service Award from outgoing president Kaui Gilmore.
The award is presented in recognition to a retired member of HSTA-Retired who has contributed to HSTA-Retired and the community, said Jean Dobashi in a release.
“This year, the Kaua‘i District, through the efforts of Beverly Gotelli and Stella Shimatsu, nominated Takanishi as the recipient, the announcement being made at the recent Delegate Assembly at the Honolulu Country Club,” Dobashi said. “But Lillian had a previous commitment and was not able to attend. Joyce Silva, acting president of the Kaua‘i District, received the award for Lillian who was presented the award by Gilmore at the Kaua‘i planing meeting.”
Takanishi has been the HSTA-Retired Kaua‘i District treasurer for more than 17 years, Dobashi describing her as being extremely diligent with her fiduciary duties and makes sure every penny and record of accounting is current and accurate.
“Lillian can always be counted on to be there whenever there is an HSTA-Retired activity here on Kaua‘i,” Dobashi said. “She has been the ‘go-to’ person to bring our supplies to Talk Story events with our legislators, Story Book Theatre, General Membership meetings and just about any event we have. Her van looks like an HSTA-Retired store with supplies and sometimes shirts which go to newly-recruited members of the Kaua‘i District.”
Takanishi has participated in numerous HSTA-Retired activities such as Cop on Top, Special Olympics Bowling, General Atomics Science Show and Exposition and the Salvation Army at the Hanapepe Corps’ Kokua Kitchen, one of the HSTA-Retired service projects. She has also been an active participant of the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk.
Following her retirement in June 1990 after more than 32 years of service, Takanishi continued as an A-Plus teacher for 10 years.
She has been a volunteer in the community at the schools, church, and local book store, coordinating HSTA-Retired volunteers to the Hanapepe Story Book Theatre for community events, the most recent being the presentation of the Princess Kaiulani Keiki Fest.
Takanishi is a member of the Kaua‘i Retired Teachers Association and the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, ETA Chapter.
She has volunteered at Koloa and Kalaheo elementary schools for vision and hearing screenings sponsored by the Koloa Lions Club and also volunteers at the Kaua‘i Museum on Saturdays at the front desk.
“Lillian’s commitment to her church, the Hanapepe United Church of Christ, is what exemplifies her unselfishness,” Dobashi said. “She volunteers weekly at the church’s food kitchen for those less fortunate. She goes in Wednesdays to prepare for Thursday’s meal by cutting vegetables and fruits and returns Thursday to serve lunch. Her dedication is evident when you see how much she does for these groups. She is not one to say ‘no.’”
Dobashi said Lillian Takanishi is one of those “retireers” who has a really filled and rewarding life. Topping her accomplishments, she is the mother of a public school teacher.
