MidWeek

on September 16, 2026 Photo by Lawrence Tabudlo Had it not been for Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children, Julie Kobayashi and Seeley Borges would not be alive today. Julie was 11 years old when she learned she had myocarditis — a rare heart condition — and needed a heart transplant. Seeley was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia as a newborn. At just a few weeks old, she underwent chemotherapy, then a bone marrow transplant.

on September 16, 2026 Photo courtesy Dave Kajihiro Police Foundation Awards Scholarships Honolulu Police Community Foundation has awarded $30,000 worth of scholarships to outstanding students. The awardees are attending colleges from University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa to Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

on September 10, 2026 Photo courtesy of Assets School A Solid ‘Foundation’ For Assets School The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation recently donated $3 million to Assets School leadership to support the Great Minds Capital Campaign.

on September 10, 2026 Photo by Lawrence Tabudlo You can tell a lot about a person by the physical objects they keep near them. For Carl Rogers Ackerman, his prized possession is a tiny paperweight featuring that famous quote by American author Robert Byrne: “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” The item arrived as a gift from a visiting member of the Baltimore Community Foundation many moons ago and it’s usually found resting on Ackerman’s desk in his Mānoa Valley home.

on September 2, 2026 Photo courtesy Hawai‘i Credit Union League League Invests In Community According to the Hawai‘i Credit Union League, seven local credit unions marked their 90th anniversaries by raising more than $93,000 for Hawai‘i Foodbank.

on September 2, 2026 In 2022, Maya Ploi Blasi of Lahaina was homeless, living in shipping containers and a car while finishing her senior year at Hāna High and Elementary School. But that same year, she received the Maurice J. Sullivan Scholar Award, a $10,000 scholarship from Hawai‘i Rotary Youth Foundation. Today, Ploi Blasi is a graduate of University of Colorado, Denver.

on August 25, 2026 Photo by Lawrence Tabudlo When Ellie Ventula-Honda got a text from Shelley Wilson back in May, she didn’t sense anything out of the ordinary. The two are friends who travel in the same professional circles, so it’s not unusual for them to chat. Ventula-Honda is president and CEO of Elite Partnerships, where she specializes in fundraising and revenue development. Wilson is the founder of Wilson Care Group.

on August 26, 2026 Photo courtesy Aloha Pilot Club Donation Supports Kūpuna, Caregivers The Aloha Pilot Club (pictured) has donated $200 to Project Dana, which provides compassionate support and services to Hawai‘i’s kūpuna and their caregivers. As part of a community project, the club also provided food and beverages to recognize the services of the team at Project Dana.

on August 19, 2026 Photo courtesy Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts ‘Sip And Dine’ For Diabetes Association Five Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts properties across Hawai‘i raised more than $22,000 for the American Diabetes Association-Hawai‘i Chapter through its “Sip and Dine for a Cause” initiative.

on August 19, 2026 Photo by Lawrence Tabudlo As one of the most influential women in the islands, Kealiʻi Lopez spends many a day at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol. At times, it might seem like she lives there, but she really doesn’t. Still, even on those occasions when she isn’t on-site, it’s important that Lopez is never too far away.