Richard Higa of Seattle was in the thick of the excitement being shared by residents at Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waimea when they planted seeds to the hospital’s planned gardens.
“He’s a volunteer,” said Josie Pablo, the Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation regional recreation director. “He comes twice a month from Washington. If he misses a day, the residents ask about him — where’s Richard?”
Higa said he’s been volunteering at KVMH for about 10 years, “just bringing them $5 bingo.”
“My mother used to be here,” Higa said. “That’s when I started coming to visit. She passed away a couple of years ago, but I still keep coming to visit the residents. It is such a nice way to give back to the community.”
Higa and other volunteers at KVMH and Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital, both HHSC properties on Kaua‘i, were hosted to a volunteer luncheon by the HHSC leadership team Saturday at Gaylord’s restaurant at Kilohana Plantation in Puhi.
“This is just a small way to thank the volunteers for their hard work for the hospitals,” said Lance Segawa, HHSC Kaua‘i Region CEO.
“Volunteerism and volunteers are the life blood for the hospital’s operation. The gift shop, the thrift store, and a lot of the residents’ activities would not be possible without the volunteers.”
“Volunteers also save the hospital money,” Segawa said. “We’re able to do and offer more services to the community than if we had to pay those dollars for salary payments. And, volunteers help keep us connected to the community that we serve.”
Segawa said this is the second year HHSC was able to host the volunteers to lunch, and hopes they can continue to do so for a long time.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
