Five highway safety leaders recognized by Hawai'i DOT
Advertiser Staff
Five highway safety figures have received Alaka'i Awards from the state Department of Transportation for leadership in highway safety. Receiving awards for education were Sen. Cal Kawamoto, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, and Jan Meeker, a resource teacher in the Department of Education. A record number of highway safety bills have passed because of Kawamoto's leadership, the DOT said. Meeker has worked to institute alcohol-free graduation parties at high schools statewide, according to the DOT.
Paul Hamamoto, a civil engineer with the Department of Transportation, won the engineering award. He has been responsible for all aspects of highway safety, including traffic design, operations and safety improvements and his common-sense solutions to traffic problems.
Recipients of awards for enforcement were Lt. Charles Hirata, a veteran of the Maui Police Department and head of the traffic division, and David Sandler, a prosecutor for the city and county of Honolulu in the area of drugged driving.
Through Hamamoto's leadership, his county's traffic fatalities dropped by 28 percent and the number of crashes dropped by 35 percent. Sandler assisted in obtaining his state's first conviction for vehicular homicide due to drugged driving.
• Six outstanding philanthropists have been honored by The Association of Fundraising Professionals, Aloha Chapter. They are:
• Donald Kim, who heads the Korea Foundation and has supported many educational and cultural institutions in Hawai'i.
• Nissan Motor Corp. in Hawai'i, a major corporate sponsor of Easter Seals for 25 years and a strong supporter of youth services and athletic programs.
• Dowling Co. Inc., a Maui firm focused on the environment that focuses on preserving local culture, education and improving the quality of life.
• Jean Rolles, who has served as a trustee and raised money for many local organizations, among them the American Red Cross, the East-West Center and the Hawaii Opera Theatre.
• Judith Dawson, fund-raising professional who has served Punahou School for 22 years and delayed her retirement to assist the campaign for the Honolulu Academy of Arts.
• K.J. Luke, whose legacy of philanthropy will be continued through his foundation and his family's involvement and who was a leader in championing causes in Hawai'i.
• The Waikiki Community Center has presented its distinguished Makana Ola Loa (Lifelong Friend) Award to Outrigger Hotels & Resorts. Outrigger has been supporting the Waikiki Community Center for 16 years, mainly through the sponsorship of the Ala Wai Challenge, an annual event held along the banks of the Ala Wai.
Outrigger was further honored by City Councilman Duke Bainum, who presented it with a Certificate of Merit from the Honolulu City Council for being named Waikiki Community Center's 2001 Corporate Volunteer of the Year.
• Helena Sena has been appointed Development Director of Sacred Hearts Academy. She will oversee the academy's fund-raising program, including annual giving, scholarship and grant writing. Before joining he academy, she was director of development and membership at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i and development associate — scholarships and stewardship at the University of Hawai'i Foundation.
