Waha Nui – 4/16/14

Susan Amuro

Longtime Waialua resident and North Shore Outdoor Circle leader Patsy Gibson, now 85, is the winner of the 2014 Hawaii Salute to Senior Service award, which comes with $500 for a charity of her choice. Patsy’s dedication to community service was recognized by Home Instead Inc. (which ultimately picked a 97-year-old man from North Carolina as its national awardee). “Patsy has proven once again that age is meaningless when it comes to making a difference,” said Home Instead president Jeff Huber …

Incidentally, you know you’re ancient when: A class of third-graders at Kahuku Elementary believes you – with mouths agape – when you say the Dr. Seuss book you’re reading to them is the same one you read to your kids 100 years ago … The Republican State Leadership Committee has named Rep. Beth Fukumoto, R-District 36 (Mililani-Waipio Acres), to the 2014 Future Majority Caucus advisory board, a national group whose aim is to diversify and grow the GOP …

Hawaii Employers Council has hired Wahiawa’s Susan Amuro as its research and compensation analyst. Susan previously worked at DFS Group and has 20 years’ experience in the industry …Award-winning Mililani author Chris McKinney has penned another good one. The Red-headed Hawaiian is a nonfiction story about his childhood friend Rudy Puana, who rose out of a troubled island life to become a double board-certified critical care physician, now running a pain clinic in Hilo. Chris says the message is critical: “that anyone can succeed if they set their mind to it. In my work with the Language Arts Center in Mililani, which I run with my wife, I see how important it is for young people to believe this.” You can buy a copy next month at the Hawaii Book and Music Festival …

More books: Kahuku High’s 2006 valedictorian Kealohilani Wallace will sign copies of her new novel Thursday during a fundraiser from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the school store. Some proceeds go to KHIS and to Koolauloa Educational Alliance Corp. Half-Hearts is the first in a fantasy trilogy, says Kealohilani, who writes for “the Echo Boomers – those who grew up with Harry Potter but were then abandoned by Young Adult publishers when they turned 18.” She’ll also be at the Hawaii Books & Music Festival May 3-4 with more copies