Aloha Friends,

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your ohana! Don't miss the 12th Annual Kapolei City Lights Electric Light Parade and Celebration on December 8th. The parade starts at 6:00 p.m. and goes from the Kapolei Fairgrounds to Kapolei Hale. After that, there will be a Tree Lighting Ceremony and block party. Also, I won't be hosting my "Listen Story" meeting in December because of the holidays. My next meeting will be on Saturday, January 12th at the Ewa Zippy's (91-1717 Fort Weaver Road). Here are some other things I'd like to share with you. Please contact me at 586-6830 or sengabbard@capitol.hawaii.gov if I can help you or your family in any way.

Mike

West O‘ahu Student Artwork Brings Attention to Driving Safe

I attended the kick-off event for this year's Drive Safe for Ewa/Kapolei Live & Let Live Traffic Safety Awareness Campaign at the Kapolei Police Station on December 1st. During the program, I recognized the winners of the poster contest that highlights the artwork of West O‘ahu high school students. The posters bring awareness to the dangers of driving intoxicated and recklessly during the Christmas holiday season. The winners were Kapolei High School senior Janel Tagalicud, Nanakuli High junior Dina Tuggle, and Waianae High junior Joshua Camalig. This year's poster contest was particularly relevant given the tragic death of Campbell High School sophomore Kawehi Adkins-Kupuka‘a, which was a result of another teen who was drinking and driving. My prayers go out to Kawehi's family & friends, and the Campbell High ohana.  Read More

Honoring Health Expert Dr. John McDougall

I honored internationally-renowned physician and health expert, Dr. John McDougall, with a certificate from the State Senate at the Ala Wai Golf Course Clubhouse on November 13th. Dr. McDougall was in town to make a presentation sponsored by the Vegetarian Society of Hawai‘i called "The Diet Wars: The Time for Unification is Now." Dr. McDougall has been studying, writing and speaking out about the effects of nutrition on disease for over 30 years. He is a veteran of the natural wellness movement and a best-selling author who has helped thousands improve their quality of life by helping them switch to a low-fat vegetarian diet primarily consisting of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. When he was 18 years old, Dr. McDougall suffered a massive stroke which he attributed to his standard American diet high in animal protein and fat. In the mid 1970s, while practicing medicine in Hawai‘i, he noticed that his elderly Asian patients, who lived mainly on rice and vegetables, were trim and healthy compared to their offspring who adopted the American diet. In response, Dr. McDougall switched to a traditional Asian, heart-healthy diet for himself and became his own positive testimonial after shedding many unwanted pounds of harmful fat. Dr. McDougall is currently the Medical Director of the McDougall Program, a highly successful residential program of over twenty years located in Santa Rosa, California.  Read More

Civil Air Patrol Critical in Natural Disaster Situations

On October 27th, everyone in Hawai‘i was startled to receive word of a potential tsunami coming this way. While many of us were scrambling to get gas, food, water and other supplies, the Hawai‘i Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was in the skies. Within minutes of getting a call from Civil Defense, eight CAP small-engine Cessnas were airborne - three on Kaua‘i, three on O‘ahu, one on Maui and one on Hawai‘i island. The flights were completed by 11:30 p.m., but the aircraft were kept fueled and on standby until 1 a.m. on Sunday in case they were needed for damage assessment. CAP's mission was to warn people who hadn't heard the sirens or news reports to quickly get to higher ground. Although the tsunami didn't damage any homes or cause any deaths, CAP volunteers should be commended. Their tsunami warning mission actually began 55 years ago. In 1957, CAP cadets are credited with alerting 300 to 400 Kaua‘i residents before a 32 foot wave arrived, causing enormous damage along a 15-mile strip of Kaua‘i's North Shore. This is why it's so important to support this important organization. I was able to participate in their Civil Air Patrol West O‘ahu Composite Squadron 5th Annual Awards Banquet on November 3rd. I presented certificates from the State Senate to two very special cadets. Cadet First Lieutenant Angelo C. Gascon, who joined CAP in 2008, is a graduate of Kapolei High School and will soon be joining the Air Force. He was selected for the prestigious recognition of Outstanding Cadet Officer of the Year. Cadet Master Sergeant Courtney Mundon, who joined CAP in 2011, is a Kapolei High School senior. She was selected for the prestigious recognition of Cadet Non-Commission Officer of The Year.  Read More