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Home My WebLink AboutKupuna News A Magazine For and About Hawaii's Seniors (July-December 2024)Kupuna Softball, July 17-18 Walter Victor Stadium and Kuawa Ballfields, Hilo t � Makaleo Ball Fields, Kore EAD I&A Team District Meeting July 22, Kona Bon Dance Festival Kupuna Hula Festival HMSA Akamai Living Fair August 29 September 11-12 October 24 Halloween Bash Teacher & Volunteer Recognition Luncheon October 30 December 12 RSVP Volunteers Serving Our Community Take Senior Join a Nutrition Classes Senior Club Program Coordinated Services for the Elderly Senior Transportation III II ' II�II ' III In InAssistance Published quarterly by the County of Hawai `i Ili""1 III III 8777 Department of Parks and Recreation p Elderly Activities Division Kona (808) 323 4320 Mitch Roth Mayor, County of Hawaii Aloha Elderly Activities Division Seniors of Hawaii island- 2024 has started off with exuberating energy in the EAD programs! There are a multitude of new faces that validate the premise that socializations leads to a happy, healthy and meaningful life! There are four generations of seniors participating in the EAD programs: The Greatest Generation, the Silent Generation, the Baby Boomers and Gen-X. With that said, the programs are changing to meet the diverse needs and wants unique to the generations with a bit of overlap. It is refreshing to witness the feeling of pride and dedication the seniors have when attending senior clubs, nutrition sites, classes, events and riding the vans. There is a feeling of "belonging" that is so vital to prevent isolation and the negative effects that go along with that. Keep that vibrancy going and let's all "AGE IN PLACE"! To Our Participants of the Elderly Recreation Services Classes, we would like to take the time to thank you for your loyalty to the program and acknowledge all of you as vibrant seniors by keeping engaged socially. Effective JU III ii"I'll 'i lliiil! � the class III" IIIIIIIIIIIII J III °° °°III'°Z�A°° °°III " III I III'"""' IIIIIIIIIIII will be increased to " II '' '' . y Justification for the increase are as follows: • The current $10.00 registration fee started 50 years ago in 1974. • Cost for equipment, material, supplies, in -kind expenses, and recreations educators hourly pay rates have increased multifold since then. • The minimum wage increased January 2024 and will again significantly increase in January 2028. The Recreation Educator's pay aligns with the increase. • Inflation is the main reason for the increase. • The class registration fees are utilized to cover Elderly Recreation Services expenses. • We are committed to continuing to offer seniors classes that enhance the quality of life. Keeping seniors in our communities happy, and aging in place. If you have questions or comments, please contact me directly. Mahalo! Roann S. Okamura, EAD Operations Director 127 Kamana Street (Room 7), Phone (808) 961-8708 Kupuna News 2 Information and Assistance (808) 961-8777 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 ERS kicked off the year with awesome events that brought seniors together from all over the island. The 6th Annual Hawai `i Senior Ukulele Festival was held in April and was a big hit with over 400 seniors attending. Casino Day followed in May and had over 450 people in attendance. June kicked off the inaugural Hawaii Island Ground Golf Mayor's Cup in Kailua-Kona. The 1st half of the year was a huge success with events and we're looking forward to many more events for the second half of 2024! Kupuna News 4 Information & Assistance (808) 961-8777 Kupuna News 5 July -December 2024 Destination Kona Coast y �& Wil Kihara & Marybeth Witzel Virginia Halliday RSVP volunteer coordinator for MLK Day MLK DAY CELEBRATION: Claire Inman (2nd from left) and friends m r r r r r r r r�r�rrt�r�rr r r r r r rr�art�art�art�r��rt�art�art�art�art�art�art�art�art�art�amrm� HOSPICE OF ICONA Karen Crawford @ Memory Lane Gift Shop Habitat for Humanity Help in ReStores in Hilo, Waimea, and Kona Hawaii Island Humane Society Animal care and facility maintenance in Hilo and Kona Hawaii Literacy Instructors and tutors in helping adults learn to read Ho`ola Farms - Farm to Car Receive, pack, and distribute farm food items Regeney at Hualalai Assist with activities, transport patients Keep Puako Beautiful Beach clean ups Kupuna News 6 Information and Assistance (808) 961-8777 Honokala Seniors enjoying weekly BINGO". Do you know there are many ways to get a "BINGO"? Come join us... Wish of a Lifetime from AARP gives Roses on Valentine's Day Rosaline Soto, Anna Reinhardt and Annie Kaaukai Pahoa Seniors What's New at Nutrition??? Our Home Delivered Meal Program resumes Daily HOT" meal service for our Kupuna residing in the Hilo area starting July 1st. Delivery times will be between 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Monday through Friday. Current participants were given the good news and flyers given out as reminders. We are truly excited to resume this service and look forward to seeing each of you. Paul Tallett, Pearl Peralto and Marilyn Jose, Laura Medeiros, Rosemary Torikai, Abigail Tattsuke. Hilo and Kona Seniors Dennis Torikai and Leonor Corpuz. Pepe`ekeo Seniors Kupuna News 7 July -December 2024 The County of Hawaii does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admissions or access to, or treatment, or employment in its programs or activities. Should you require any special needs, contact the respective program at least 10 days prior to the event. If you are unable to provide the advance notice, the Elderly Activities Division staff will attempt to make a reasonable accommodation to satisfy the request as long as it does not impose an undue hardship.