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Volunteer Spotlight: Kapono Akina
Posted February 09, 2017
Kapono Akina (pictured here with resident Alvin Keohohina) came to Hale Makua with an interest in gaining more hands on experience in the healthcare field while he pursues his goal of becoming an EMT. But he’s benefitted from much more than just the hands on experience he originally came here for. “The feeling that I get when I walk through the doors each week and see the smile on the faces of residents when they greet me is indescribable”. For Kapono, Hale Makua has become more than just a place for him to come and volunteer each week, it is a place full of familiar faces, laughter and comfort. He knows that the residents look forward to visiting with him, just as much as he does.“I just really enjoy the opportunity to give back, make a difference in someone’s life and make people smile. I really love to see people smile”.
You can find Kapono every Wednesday morning helping out in our Maintenance Exercise Program (MEP) with various exercises and transporting residents back to their rooms. Kapono says the employees are a huge part of why he loves coming here so much, “The staff in MEP are on point, they work hard and have a great time. The residents just love them and they make every activity and exercise in there fun. They’re always laughing and having a good time, and that makes my time volunteering here even more enjoyable!”
Volunteers often share that the feeling of fulfillment they receive from spending time with residents and clients is much greater than they ever anticipate when they first start, and Kapono is no different. Kapono said when he came to volunteer, he was looking to give back, and while the time he spends here is incredibly beneficial to employees and residents, the fulfillment and joy he has acquired along the way has been tremendous.
We are so grateful for volunteers like Kapono. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Danielle Sanchez, at (808) 871-9283 or danielles@halemakua.org.