The Zonta Club of Hilo expressed its gratitude to more than 150 physicians, nurses and staff of Hilo Medical Center for caring for women, children and families in the aftermath of domestic violence and sex assault during a mahalo event Dec. 11.
The Zonta Club of Hilo expressed its gratitude to more than 150 physicians, nurses and staff of Hilo Medical Center for caring for women, children and families in the aftermath of domestic violence and sex assault during a mahalo event Dec. 11.
“It’s not every day our staff is thanked for caring for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault,” said Odetta Rapozo-Pung, surgical and emergency services director for HMC. “We appreciate the Zonta Club of Hilo for acknowledging the vital role we play in these troubling incidents.”
Zontians were on hand in the HMC lobby to personally thank morning, evening and night shift employees and offer refreshments, fellowship and mahalo gifts. Local organizations, including the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Victims Unit, YWCA Hawaii Island, Big Island Substance Abuse Counsel and Starbucks, provided additional swag and resource materials aimed to ease stress during the holidays.
“It’s amazing to see our oldest member and newer members come out to thank the hardworking staff at Hilo Medical Center,” said Charlene Iboshi, event organizer and advocacy chair for the Zonta Club. “When I first started out as a deputy prosecuting attorney more than 30 years ago, there were few community resources for victims of domestic violence. As a community, we should be proud of how far we’ve come in terms of support resources for women and their families who need help, but there is still much more work to be done.”
The mahalo party was the club’s last event for this year’s “Zonta Says No Campaign,” a 16-day international activism campaign geared toward ending violence and sex assault against women and girls.
To learn more about the Zonta Club, visit www.zontahilo.org.