The timing was perfect for Carol Hamamura, who retired at the end of last month and early this month found her name in a full-page advertisement in USA Today newspaper.
Her Island Service Station Shell dealership in Kalaheo was honored recently for raising over $900 for The September 11th Fund and American Red Cross through a nationwide effort of 22,000 Shell and Texaco gas retailers, wholesalers and truck stops.
Her station raised the most money in Hawai’i, and was one of the top collectors in the country.
Hamamura gave all the credit to a quartet of workers who weren’t initially particularly fond of the idea of asking customers for donations above their gas purchases.
The four are Lorile Kuriki, Alan Rivers, Jr., Bernard Silva, Jr., and Kalailoa “Buddy” Taniguchi, and they continued giving excellent service to customers while asking them if they wanted to donate $1 or more to the relief funds, in exchange for American flag stickers.
“I would say that I would give my workers credit for this, too,” she said. “We placed top in Hawai’i.” Hamamura assisted in donation solicitations when she could, she said.
Hamamura’s name and station location, along Kaumuali’i Highway in Kalaheo, were listed in the full-page advertisement in USA Today, along with nearly 60 stations that “have gone the extra mile in helping us achieve our goal. Your work has epitomized the caring spirit of America. God bless America,” read the ad, paid for by Texaco and Shell.
Dealers listed in the ad are from all over the United States.
Hamamura has since leased the station to Shell Oil Company, which in turn has subleased it to a new operator.
Business Editor Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
