Maui Soroptimist Group Gifts $10,000 to Women and Youth

April Mae Companero, Elizabeth Cunningham, Gemma Hanson, Aristina Ora-a and Sharmaine Pasalo, were selected as recipients of the club’s Sharon Okumura Nursing Awards. Courtesy photo.

By Wendy Osher

Soroptimist International of Maui awarded more than $10,000 in cash awards to 25 women and children as part of the organization’s 6th annual awards banquet.

The largest, $6,000 Live Your Dream Award, was issued to Anna Keene, who recently graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College with an associate science degree in human services.

The award is presented annually to a highly ambitious woman who is a head of their household and wants to improve their life and employment prospects by gaining additional skills, training and education, an organization announcement said.

Anna Keene was selected as the winner of the club’s Live Your Dream Award. Courtesy photo.

Alexandra Pardico, who just graduated from Maui High School, was selected as the winner of the club’s Youth Citizenship Award. Courtesy photo.

The group’s $1,000 Youth Citizenship Award was issued to recent Maui High School graduate, Alexandra Pardico, for her “outstanding service and contributions to her home, school and community.”

According to the Soroptimist International of Maui, Pardico graduated at the top of her class, and has plans to attend Gonzaga University, where she has plans of majoring in biology.

Shantel Longboy was selected as the winner of the club’s $500 Violet Richardson Award. Courtesy photo.

A lump sum $2,500 donation was issued to the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation to be distributed among five nursing students for financial assistance to help them in completing the program.

Recipients of the Sharon Okumura Nursing Awards include: April Mae Companero, Elizabeth Cunningham, Gemma Hanson, Aristina Ora-a and Sharmaine Pasalo.

The club issued a $500 award to be distributed between Maui’s Shantel Longboy and Best Buddies Maui for her volunteer service with the organization.

According to the announcement, the Violet Richardson Award was named after the president of the first Soroptimist club, and honors girls who are making a difference through volunteer service.

An additional 17 eighth grade students from 10 intermediate schools on Maui were selected for the club’s $50 Junior Youth Citizenship Awards for their “outstanding service in both school and community.”

The Soroptimist International of Maui group is described as a “service organization for executive and professional women.”  The Maui award recipients were honored during a recent banquet held at the Kahili Golf Club in Waikapū.