LIHU‘E — A visit to her mom’s older relatives in daycare facilities planted a seed in Holly Shimazu’s mind. That seed germinated when Holly Shimazu became part of the Leo Club at Kaua‘i High School, and one of the organization’s
LIHU‘E — A visit to her mom’s older relatives in daycare facilities planted a seed in Holly Shimazu’s mind.
That seed germinated when Holly Shimazu became part of the Leo Club at Kaua‘i High School, and one of the organization’s members’ projects involved visiting long-term-care patients at Wilcox Memorial Hospital.
Those visits to the hospital inspired Shimazu to do something for the elderly, forming the core for her Girl Scout Gold Award Project.
Shimazu’s mom, Lisa Shimazu, noted that not too many Girl Scouts venture to do the Gold Award projects, Holly Shimazu adding that it was an optional item in the program.
Similar to the Boy Scout Eagle project, the Gold Award stays with the creator for life and, in many cases, makes a difference in not only the life of the person doing the project, but in the community.
Gold Award projects need to be completed prior to the Girl Scout’s 18th birthday, similar to the Boy Scouts’ Eagle projects.
Holly Shimazu remembers when Girl Scout Jill Dobashi did her Gold Award Project, the organizing and coordinating of the Troy Barboza Run and the Special Olympics field games, one year.
“I’ve always wanted to do this,” Shimazu said. “It’s one way we can give back to the community.
“By working with the elderly, you get to meet so many people, and they’re so funny,” Shimazu said in the exuberant vibrancy that comes to her naturally, and is augmented by her participation as a cheerleader for the Kaua‘i High School cheer squad, this year’s Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation champions.
Shimazu’s project involved planning, coordinating and carrying out a week-long series of activities, games, refreshments, and entertainment for the approximately 40 clients of the Wilcox Memorial Hospital Adult Day Health program, whose clients meet in the social hall of the Lihue Christian Church.
That is also where the Shimazus worship, and where her Girl Scout Troop 953 meets.
With the help of her mom, grandparents, dad Russell Shimazu, and friends, Holly Shimazu set out to plan the week’s calendar for the seniors.
She got help from her fellow cheerleaders on the first day, as they worked through uplifting activities and programs with the elderly clients.
On Tuesday, Holly Shimazu coordinated with Marilyn Matsumoto for entertainment, that was followed with a hula agenda on Wednesday.
The Kapa‘a Senior Center participants became involved on Thursday, bringing a program of Japanese dancing, and on the final day of the week, her dad’s friends joined her schoolmates as they presented a variety of live entertainment.
On each of the days, Holly Shimazu followed the entertainment with some kind of activity that ranged from arts and crafts to games.
A selection of picture frames created by the seniors with help from Holly Shimazu and her band of assistants was on display during the final day of her Gold Award project.
Through the help of her family, friends, and the staff at the Wilcox Memorial Hospital Adult Day Health program, she was able to spend time getting to know a lot of the clients, as she made it a point to spend some time with as many of them as she could, chatting, and connecting through mutual acquaintances in a manner that is facilitated because of Kaua‘i’s small size and tight communities.
Shimazu has been a Girl Scout for about “11 or 12 years now, starting from the bottom as a Daisy Scout.”
She will be leaving for the University of Northern Colorado in August, to pursue a degree in elementary education and communications. She plans on continuing her cheer career by joining that school’s cheer squad, she said.
- Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@pulitzer.net.
