LIHU‘E — The four Models of the Year from DMD Productions will be up early Saturday morning when the Walk to End Alzheimer’s unfurls at Kukui Grove Center.
Donovan Pegeder of DMD Productions had the models soliciting donations for the Alzheimer’s cause Friday night at Kukui Grove in preparation for the walk this Saturday.
The walk opens with registration starting at 7 a.m. with the opening ceremonies and walk at 8 a.m. at Kukui Grove Center.
“We heard about the walk on the radio and it seemed like a good community service project for the girls,” Pegeder said.
“When I told the teachers I work with, they contributed a lot because several said they know of people who died as a result of Alzheimer’s.”
Humberto Blanco of the Alzheimer’s Association, Aloha Chapter Kaua‘i, said he distributed a lot of fliers with room to log contributions on Wednesday during the Kaua‘i Seniors’ Law Day at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall.
One of the kupuna who was talking about the walk said while they were growing up, getting Alzheimer’s was embarrassing and most people never talked about having it.
Today, the Alzheimer’s Association, Aloha Chapter, serves the caregivers and estimated 31,000 people living with Alzheimers in Hawai‘i, states its website.
“Part of being a Model of the Year is to do community service,” said Jamilee Jimenez, a Kaua‘i High School graduate and former track and field standout at the University of Hawai‘i. “There are a lot of people in Hawai‘i who live with the disease, including many who live on Kaua‘i.”
Joining Jimenez, the Woman Model of the Year for DMD Productions, are Kinohi Naihe, Mini Miss Model of the Year, Kawai Lehua Pegeder-Napohaku, Miss Model of the Year, and Keira Caoagas, Tiny Miss Model of the Year.
Pegeder said this is one of two events the Models of the Year will be participating before relinquishing their crowns at the November 18 Kaua‘i Amateur Modeling competition for the 2013 Models of the Year.
“We’ll be walking in support of the caregivers and people who live with Alzheimer’s this Saturday,” Pegeder said.
“Following this walk, the models will be participating in the annual Veterans Day parade in Kapa‘a town, Nov. 10, before the pageant takes place.”
Applications for interested Models of the Year are now available at DMD Productions for people as young as 1 year old through 26 years old, Pegeder said.
For more information on the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, visit www.alz.org. For more information on DMD Productions and the Kaua‘i Amateur Modeling Competition, call Pegeder at 246-1564.
