WAIMEA — Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation Kaua‘i Region CEO Lance Segawa was pleased to discover on Wednesday that six of the seven scholarship recipients awarded by the health care company were planning careers in the field.
He joined Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and Dr. Sean McAlister, emergency room doctor for both KVMH and Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital, in presenting the scholarships to students during a reception for recipients and their families at Chicken in a Barrel at Waimea Plantation Cottages in Waimea.
HHSC Kaua‘i Regional Chief Nurse Executive Cheryl Tennberg, a member of the KVMH Auxiliary, was pleased that two of the recipients are children of HHSC employees.
Waimea High School graduating seniors Jade Aguinaldo, Kale Kakuda, Alexis Saniatan, Areck Yamamoto and Maeani Arbilera each earned $1,500 scholarships presented by the KVMH Auxiliary.
“We did exceptionally well with our orchid sales, where the orchids were contributed by a member of the community,” said Charlene Dorsey, president of the KVMH Auxiliary. “That allowed us to upgrade the scholarship from the traditional $1,000 each to $1,500, this year.”
Two additional scholarships were presented by the HHSC doctors, represented by McAlister. The $3,000 scholarships, based heavily on need, were presented to Jenny Lagura of the westside region and Makaila Keawe of Anahola, who is heading to the University of Southern California to study international relations and business.
She was the only recipient who is not planning a career in health care, as her dreams include returning to Kaua‘i and working in sustainable tourism.
Funds for the KVMH scholarships are derived from its year-round fundraising activities, and the operation of the KVMH Gift Shop, where some of the orchids featured in the orchid sale for Mother’s Day are on display year-round, Dorsey said. Some of those activities include the holiday craft fair and, more recently, the bon dance for residents that was earlier shut down due to the pandemic.
•••
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
