LIHUE — Retired U.S. Air Force General and Kauai Veterans Council Commander Mary Kay Hertog could not help herself and gasped audibly after learning the amount of money being contributed by Jeffrey Callejo Jr. and the Kauai Line Dance Group on Wednesday.
Callejo and the line dance group made a quick stop to drop off the $9,000 award that resulted from a two-day line dance fundraiser for the Kauai Veterans Center in September. They dropped off the award during the Kauai Veterans Council leadership meeting at the Kauai Veterans Center.
The Kauai Veterans Center, as described by the newly selected Miss Kauai Veteran Kaye Marie Alvarez, exists to enhance the delivery of benefits to veterans and their ohana.
The donation was just one of the meeting agenda items, which included the installation of the 2024 Miss Kauai Veteran ahead of the Nov. 2 Veterans Celebration at the Vidinha Stadium soccer fields. The celebration will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Following the acceptance of the contribution from the line dancers, Hertog proceeded with the protocol of the installation, which included presenting Alvarez with a $1,000 scholarship. Alvarez is a student at Waimea High School.
Inspired by the deeds of her brother, a U.S. Air Force medic, and her sister who is at Purdue University on a full-ride scholarship, Alvarez was selected by the Kauai Veterans Council to fill the post of Miss Kauai Veteran.
“I, too, like the Kauai Veterans Council and other veterans organization that pay tribute to all service members and celebrate their military legacy, want to give back and serve the selfless service members who put their lives on the line and have sacrificed so much for the well being of our country,” she said in an essay.
“Through many obstacles, my brother serves as an inspiration to me, just like these service members serve as an inspiration to the whole country. Coming from an immigrant background, my brother survived many obstacles and paths in his life. In the end, he decided to serve his country and give back to those who generously gave to us.”
Besides serving as battalion commander of the Waimea High School JROTC, Alvarez is the president of the Health Occupation Students of America, a past vice president of the Spanish Honor Society, a member of the National Honor Society and a member of Leadership, Experience, Opportunity (LEO) Club.
She is also a delegate of the 2024 Kauai Island Utility Cooperative Youth Tour and a recent delegate for the Neighbor Island Medical Scholars Program, which was held on Oahu.
“With my experience, I have grown to be confident in my abilities as a leader, and truly believe that I can make a difference not only on Kauai, but in Hawaii as a whole. As a woman, it is important to not only have a prominent presence in everything I do, but also to empower others.”
Alvarez will be an integral part of the Kauai Veterans Celebration. She will play an key part in the annual Kauai Veterans Council Veterans Day Service, which will take place at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 a Kauai Veterans Cemetery in Hanapepe.
She invites everyone to join her in honoring and paying tribute to service members.
