Recently I was asked to help out with the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, and threw together a team to participate. We were able to raise nearly $2000 to go to cancer research and prevention, and overall the event raised more than $20,000. I’ve lost a number of close family, friends and neighbors to cancer over the years, and I want to thank community organizers Al Lewis and Odetta Higa for putting in so much time and effort arranging this wonderful event.

Today, our community is well represented in this field. One of the leaders of the cancer society here in Hawaii is our own former State Representative Jackie Young. Groups throughout our community have come together each year to participate, including members of the Waimanalo Health Center, the Waimanalo Seniors, Kailua High School, Job Corps and Hui Malama O Ke Kai.

This event isn’t about how much one can raise, but it is always exciting to be doing well. Going into the last week we were in fourth place for the amount of money we had raised, but at the event all of us twenty and thirty year-olds were out-walked by the Waimanalo Seniors, who ended up taking 4th place overall. Great Job! Congratulations also goes Jolyn Garidan-Prieto from my staff, who raised the second-highest amount of money overall.