WAIMEA — Janica Pascua might just be a sixth-grader, but her youthfulness helped her as her nimble legs hopped through the clacking bamboo, Tuesday. Pascua, who will be in the sixth grade at St. Theresa School when school resumes, was
WAIMEA — Janica Pascua might just be a sixth-grader, but her youthfulness helped her as her nimble legs hopped through the clacking bamboo, Tuesday.
Pascua, who will be in the sixth grade at St. Theresa School when school resumes, was among those celebrating the 100th birthday of her grandfather, Guillermo Jacinto, at the Kaua‘i Care Center in Waimea.
“He was born on June 10, 1908, in the Philippines,” said Jacinto’s son Ernesto.
Guillermo’s daughter, Veda, said she was born the year he came to Kaua‘i in 1931.
“He came to work at Olokele Sugar until he retired in 1973,” Veda said. “But when he retired from the plantation, he took another job at the Kiahuna Plantation where he put in another 15 years as a maintenance worker before fully retiring.”
Veda said in addition to herself and Ernesto, Guillermo has another son, Amador, who just left the island, Sunday for his home in Nebraska.
Joining the Jacinto family, Kaua‘i Care Center staff expanded the celebration to include a 100th birthday for Trinidad Bugaoisan who marked her century of life on June 4.
Both centenarians are residents of the Kaua‘i Care Center. In addition to the pair, Gregorio Oroc, who recently celebrated his 104th birthday, joined the festivities centered around the popular Filipino bamboo dance.
“We have 38 residents, but these three are special,” said Liza Trinidad, director for the Kaua‘i Care Center.
Trinidad said the facility is currently working to expand its capacity with the recent relocation of homes on the adjacent lot in Waimea.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com
