In many different ways, these Maui residents have taken steps to make Maui County a better, more livable community - giving guidance to youngsters, helping those in need and planning better options for energy and health care.
As in years past, it is a mixed bag of individuals and organizations that have been selected by The Maui News staff as People Who Made a Difference in 2008 and through many years before.
The social and economic turmoil that marked 2008 is having its effect, with one of our selections, Tim Ellison of Polli's Mexican Restaurant, telling us he has to end 16 years of support for Women Helping Women. With the downturn in his sales, he can't afford to continue a program of providing full dinners once a week to the WHW shelter for victims of domestic violence. But Ellison said he hopes that the story of his previously unreported contribution will encourage others to step up to help. Others being recognized are not only persevering, they expect the need for what they plan will be even greater in the years ahead.
In West Maui, recognition goes to the persistence of one individual, and many people who believe in him, to develop a viable plan to develop a hospital in West Maui. It would provide needed emergency and acute-care services for the region that can be isolated by a brush fire or a car crash, complementing rather than competing with other facilities in providing needed medical services.
* 2008: John Cadman; Val Vines Magee; Maui Police Department juvenile investigators; Tim Ellison, Ben Tolentino and Polli's Mexican Restaurant; Kent Smith and Hilton Unemori; Joe Pluta and West Maui Improvement Foundation; Aloha House Crisis Mobile Outreach team; David "Buddy" Nobriga
* 2007: Dr. Lee Miyasato, Dr. Chris Neal and Dr. Ronald Boyd, MMMC stroke specialists; Ke'eaumoku and U'ilani Kapu; Randy Awo, Hokulani Holt; Save Honolua Coalition; Maui Long Term Care Partnership
* 2006: Lillian Murakami; Maui County firefighters; Jo-Ann Ridao; Bob and Lis Richardson; the Feline Foundation of Maui; Brian Yoshikawa; Dorvin and Betty Leis; DeGray Vanderbilt
* 2005: Dennis Ishii; Maui Police Department Lahaina Patrol Specialized Unit; Maui Fire Department; Kahekili Terrace Resident Patrol; Byron Ooka
* 2004: Maui Police Department Juvenile Section; Kula Community Association; Anna Palomino; police officer Joshua Haglan and Capt. Charles Hirata; Clifford Nae'ole; Community Prosecutor Jerrie Sheppard and the Kalama Park Action Team; Omaopio-Pulehu Neighbors; Lisa Texeira; Virginia Brown and the 411th Battalion Family Readiness Group
* 2003: Alex Baker; Dale Bonar and Maui Coastal Land Trust; Blossom Feiteira, Kehaulani Filimoe'atu and Hawaii Community Assets; Auriol and Ed Flavell; Jane Kaleikini; Nick Krau; Sam Millington; Lisa Schattenburg-Raymond and Maui Nui Botanical Gardens
* 2002: Jan Dapitan; Pat and Richard Endsley; Bernard "Lono" Kalawaia Kaina; Matthew Lopez; Maui County Charter Commission; Barry Shannnon and Kathy Collins; Maui Outdoor Circle
* 2001: David Garner; Vernon Gosney; Christina Hemming; Paul Kauhane Luuwai; Art Medeiros; Fred Rohlfing and Madge Schaefer; Rick Rutiz; South Maui Citizens patrol
* 2000: Willie Nelson; Frank Sinenci; Turtle Patrol volunteers; Maui Police Department Visitor Oriented Policing Unit; Lynn Araki; Chris Cowan and the Maui Arts & Cultural Center staff; Boyd Kleefisch; Judy and David Mikami
* 1999: Alliance for the Heritage of East Maui; Dana Naone Hall and Isaac Hall; Kalama Intermediate Student Council; Ryan Luskin; Ken Nakayama and the Molokai High School baseball team; Roy Tokujo and 'Ulalena; Mercer "Chubby" Vicens
* 1998: Akaku: Maui Community Television staff and producers; Kim Ball; Cynthia Conrad; Jerry Labb; Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom and Willie K; David Goode; Barbara Knoeppel; Diane Lee; Linda Lingle; Charles Kauluwehi Maxwell Sr.
* 1997: Lt. Charles Hirata and DUI Task Force; Leonard "Bully" Kapahulehua; Brian McCafferty; Randy Morton; Wes Friewald; Cathrine Puahala; Barry Rivers
* 1996: Hannah Bernard; Holy Ghost Bread Ladies; Curt Hodge; Buck Joiner; Judges Boyd Mossman, E. John McConnnell and Shackley Raffetto; Sandra Shawhan
* 1995: Aimee Anderson; Alan Arakawa; Mike Boughton; Mary Evanson; Greg Davis; Yvonne Friel; Keali'i Reichel; Ernie Rezents; Susan Scofield
* 1994: Dr. Noa Emmett Aluli; Dr. Bobby Baker; Virgie Cantorna; Shay Chan; Walter Dodds Jr.; Everett Dowling; Kaui Doyle; Ian and Marc Hodges; Charles Jencks; Anthony Ranken; Dr. Rick Sands; Joseph Sugarman; Art Vento; Masaru "Pundy" Yokouchi.
