Linda Uehara, Coalition for a Drug-Free Hawaii
Nominated by Alan Chinen, Chinen & Arinaga Financial Group, Inc.
From left to right:
Randy Talbot, Symetra President & CEO; Alan Shinn, Executive Director, Coalition for a Drug-Free Hawaii; Linda Uehara, 2009 Symetra Community Champion; Alan Chinen, Chinen & Arinaga Financial President & CEO.
The Spirit of Aloha
- In the Hawaiian language, "aloha" has a much deeper meaning than "hello" or "goodbye.” It involves sending and receiving positive energy, living in harmony and treating others with compassion and respect.
Born and raised in Hawaii, Linda Uehara truly embodies the spirit of Aloha. A retired teacher, she has worked with youth and families in her community for more than 40 years.
She serves as a volunteer facilitator at the Coalition for a Drug-Free Hawaii, where she participates in a program that helps prevent drug abuse by strengthening families' abilities to communicate and connect.
Her unwavering commitment to community giving and engagement has been recognized over the years. She was a recipient of the 2006 Ola Pono Award for promoting safe, drug-free lifestyles, and in 2007, President George W. Bush presented her with the President's Volunteer Service Award.
Uehara began volunteering when she was a teenager growing up in Waipahu. She got her start as a student member of the Waipahu Elementary School Service Organization, and then went on to serve as a junior leader and adult leader at the city's summer fun programs. While in college, she also worked as an advisor at high school-aged girls' clubs.
Uehara credits her parents for teaching her the importance of giving back to the community. Her father, Macario, volunteered with the Waipahu Jackrabbits sports organization for more than 35 years.
As an adult, Uehara has continued her volunteerism efforts working with several organizations, including 'Ohana Ola O Kahumana, a transitional homeless shelter; the Department of Education's Homeless Children and Youth Program, and as a member of the Juvenile Justice State Advisory Council, a group that affects services for about 1,800 youths each year.
Symetra advisor, Alan Chinen of Chinen & Arinaga Financial Group, Inc. has taken note of Uehara's tremendous track record of community service.
"Linda has spent her lifetime teaching youngsters and volunteering in the community. Even after retiring as an educator she has continued to dedicate her life to young people in our state,” said Chinen. "She's been a client for at least two decades and is an inspiration – such a powerful example of selflessness."
Uehara continues to be actively engaged in her community. In addition to her ongoing work at the Coalition for a Drug-Free Hawaii, she is currently involved in implementing first-in-the-nation agencies such as the Hawaii Girls Court, Girls Street Smart and Girls Circle, all of which teach life skills to troubled youths.