WAILUKU - The Maui County Department of Housing and Human Concerns announced the winners of its 2010 Volunteer Center Recognition Awards, including a 92-year-old woman who volunteered at the A&B Sugar Museum for 23 years.
Lillian Takabayashi received the special Legendary Longevity Award. She used to run the gift shop and served as plantation historian. These days, she still volunteers two days a week and maintains the retail shop inventory.
Members of the public nominated the recipients, who were honored for their service to the community at a ceremony held April 17 during the third annual Join Hands Fair at the Queen Ka'ahumanu Shopping Center.
The individual winners in their respective categories are:
- Raeann Mukini, kindergarten to 12th grade.
- Gabriel Vista, young adults.
- Roger Yamaoka, adults between 26 and 59 years old.
- Richard Endsley, adults 60 years old and older.
Mukini, of the Boys and Girls Club of Maui, was honored as "Youth of the Year" by the Central Maui Clubhouse. She is an active member of the Youth Tobacco Prevention Program and spends four afternoons per week educating elementary school students about the risks of tobacco use.
Vista volunteers three days per week at the Maui Food Bank, where he sorts and shelves food, does maintenance work and is responsible for assembling food packages for the senior mobile food pantry.
Yamaoka volunteers with youth baseball and soccer associations. He is on the field daily, schedules games, mediates and mingles with youth to encourage them to stay active.
Endsley is the co-founder of the Lahaina After School Tutor Program, which serves more than 300 students annually. He tutors students and supervises fellow volunteers. During the summer, he remains active by preparing the curriculum and material for students. Endsley is a board member for the Lahaina Restoration Foundation, president of the Lahaina Intermediate School Education Foundation and a member of the Honolua Senior Citizen Club and LahainaTown Action Committee.
Three teams were also honored for demonstrating the spirit of working together and making a difference at all ages:
- Ke Anuenue O Ke Ola;,the Youth Spirit Award.
- The Futch family, the Family Award.
- Rita and Larry Whitford, the Senior Team Award.
Ke Anuenue O Ke Ola is made up of six friends ages 11 through 12. Its members are Mika Hunta, Jacy Sera, Ste-phanie Imada, Kia Takamori-Tihada, Jrae Viela and Domini Miyasato. Together, they do fundraising and community environmental volunteer work.
The Family Award went to David and Andrea Futch and their daughter, Sabrina, for serving the Haleakala Waldorf School for 10 years.
Rita and Larry Whitford have dedicated their retirement years to the American Cancer Society by speaking to youth and adult groups, manning informational tables and assisting with the "Relay for Life" event on Maui.
According the the Housing and Human Concerns Department, the county Volunteer Center "strives to enhance the community by promoting the engagement of all residents and visitors in volunteerism."
For more information, go online to www.mauicounty.gov/volunteercenter or call 270-7150.
