Posted on: Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Salutes
Dr. Virginia Pressler was recently recognized for her exceptional leadership in generating community support for hospital and healthcare issues in Hawai'i by the American Hospital Association and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii. Pressler received the Partnership for Action Grassroots Champion Award.
She has been a determined advocate behind legislative efforts to help Hawai'i hospitals that provide a disproportionate share of care to the less fortunate, improve Medicaid reimbursement to physicians, ease the transfer of chronic-care patients to appropriate settings, create a strategy for overcoming the state's long-term-care crisis, improve rural access to quality community healthcare and fund training programs that expand the state's healthcare workforce.
In its first step toward expanding the windward Hawai'i Loa campus, Hawai'i Pacific University has been recognized by the Modular Building Institute with a national First Place Award of Distinction for its two modulars completed in 2007. HPU's planning team architects and modular space builder, Hawaii Modular Space, were honored with a first-place award in temporary education, 2,000 to 10,000 square feet. The HPU planning team worked with the architect to design the buildings, including window selection, cabinets, roofing, floor plans and color schemes.
The award is the commercial modular industry's premier award.
Hawai'i Community College's collaboration with Kea'au High School, called Kea'au Middle College High School, which enables at-risk high school seniors to earn dual credit for high school and college, has earned several statewide awards this year: Among them are the Wo Community Building Award; the Hawai'i Spirit of Youth Award, which went to 2006 graduate and current culinary arts mentor Lance Garner; and a statewide video competition award for the public service announcement, "What is a Pono School?"
Garner also won a national Juvenile Justice Spirit of Youth Award, which he received in Washington, D.C.
The 42nd Annual Mayor's Senior Recognition Program was held recently. The program honored 80 individuals age 60 and over for their volunteer efforts.
2008 top senior volunteers were Gladys Takamoto, Outstanding Female Senior Citizen; Norberto Baysa, Outstanding Male Senior Citizen.
2008 winners of HMSA's Akamai Living Lifetime Achievement Awards were: Nellie Aina, platinum award; Gloria Lopez, gold award; Gladys Watanabe, silver award; and Florence Menor, bronze award.
