The seniors love doing this, and they don’t expect any compensation, said Melanie Okamoto, senior programs coordinator for the Department of Parks and Recreation. Wednesday, the department hosted more than 150 kupuna who participated in the Senior Volunteer All-Stars program
The seniors love doing this, and they don’t expect any compensation, said Melanie Okamoto, senior programs coordinator for the Department of Parks and Recreation.
Wednesday, the department hosted more than 150 kupuna who participated in the Senior Volunteer All-Stars program at the Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall.
“These are seniors who have been volunteering through the different neighborhood centers islandwide,” Okamoto said. “When the RSVP program streamlined, these people picked up where RSVP left off.”
Okamoto said the kupuna expressed an interest in helping through a meeting of Na Kupuna Council, an organization made up of leaders of the various senior center programs.
It’s the second year hosting the luncheon for the more than 200 people who volunteer.
They do a variety of tasks around the neighborhood center ranging from cleaning up the area and serving lunch.
“I have been doing this, plenty,” said Pracie Busto, a volunteer with the Kilauea Neighborhood Center. “Maybe 20 years. I started by doing lunch service for the seniors, and now, I’m still helping.”
“We have a lot of people who are elders,” Okamoto said. “Sakiko Okihara from Kekaha is 91 years young, and Hisami Higa is 92. These kinds of people should inspire others to come out and volunteer.”
Okamoto said the luncheon is a small way of thanking the volunteers for the work they do in the community. But it’s nothing elaborate because the seniors don’t want that. Instead, the Parks and Recreation staff serve up a spaghetti lunch with Super Duper Two ice cream for dessert.
