Kupuna News A Magazine For and About Hawaii's Seniors (July-December 2024)

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Congratulations on your Retirement Terry Saito, Ka`u CSPA I I would like to say, Thank you and Aloha to all my Seniors that I have provided services to for the last 29 years. To all my Supervisors, co-workers and Friends, a great big Mahalo for all your support and guidance through these years. You all will be greatly missed but never forgotten. To my next adventure, what and where ever it may take me, I will always cherish the good times. Love and Aloha to all. Welcome to the CSE Team! Salena, Ben, Christine and Gwen Salena Espejo started with the County in 2019 as a Community Service Worker III with CSE in Hilo. Born and raised in Pahala, she graduated from Ka`u High School. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be back with CSE as the Community Service Program Assistant serving the elderly in her home town district of Ka`u. Salena enjoys going to the beach, traveling and spending quality time with her family. Welcome aboard Benjamin "Ben" Balanay to our West Hawaii CSE team. Ben joins our team as a Community Service Worker I, after being with our County's Parks Maintenance division since 2009. Ben is a Kona native from Captain Cook. Before his employment with the County he was in the U.S. Army with over 21 years of service and postings on the Continental U.S., Europe, Asia, Australia and Hawaii Island. Christine Higa began her public service career with the County in 2014 as a Clerical Services Assistant under Mayor Kenoi's administration. Since 2018 she worked as the Clerk III at the Department of Public Works, Traffic Division. In her free time Christine enjoys gardening and spending quality time with her family. She is very exited about her recent promotion to the Account Clerk position and looks forward to helping the seniors in her community. Congratulations to Gwendolyn "Gwen" Scott who was recently promoted to the Clerk III position in Kona. She began her career with the County in 2023 as a Community Service Worker I providing transportation and assistance to seniors in Kona. Gwen is really excited about her new position and looks forward to the challenges that lie ahead. Mahalo AARP Tax -Aides for providing free Income Tax Assistance Services to Hawai`i's Kupuna Back Row L-R: Carolyn Murry, Aileen Obina, Gail Crosthwaite, Lupe Deharo-Smith, Laura Schuster, Peggy Becker -Layer, Nancy Waller, Glenn Hansen, Jill Savage, Evelyn Pacheco, Sookyung Kim. Front Seated L-R: Susan Labrenz, Helena Hurd, Lucy Maloney, Helen Hemmes, Nadine Dela Cruz, Hilo CSPA, Renee Melson, Roann Okamura, EAD Director, Darwin Egusa, Hilo CSW III. Kupuna News 3 July -December 2024