West Oahu Neighborhood News

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This year’s Kapolei Outstanding Achievement (KOA) Awards have been cancelled. The announcement was made last week after event sponsors received less than half the usual number of nominations.

Program coordinators said that while those nominations received “are most certainly worthy of consideration, there were insufficient entries to provide a reasonable pool of nominations for the judges’ consideration.”

The KOA Awards, which was to take place Sept. 21, has grown to become a highly regarded event over the past 20 years, honoring community members, government and business leaders/partners who contribute to the city of Kapolei.

Kapolei Property Development will reassess the program within the next few months to determine its viability as an annual event.

* The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has opened a new Samoan-language ward at the Kalaeloa Chapel in Kapolei Business Park.

The Maili Kai Ward is part of the Makakilo Stake that includes seven English-language wards from Makakilo/Kapolei to Makaha. Its first worship service was held July 11.

Led by Bishop Filipo Ilaoa and his counselors Sofeni Toilolo and Faauu Tana, the ward invites those interested to join in worship at 11 a.m. Sundays on Lauwiliwili Avenue. The main worship service, called sacrament meeting, and the following adult Sunday school classes are offered in Samoan. Sunday school for teenagers and primary school classes also are available in English.

Contact Ilaoa at 693-9939 or e-mail him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) for more information.

* Hawaii Pacific Health has rebranded its Aiea facility from Kapiolani Medical Center at Pali Momi to the more-manageable name, Pali Momi Medical Center.

“Our medical center has grown from a respected community hospital to a recognized regional leader.

“The rebranding of our center to Pali Momi Medical Center celebrates this evolution and our 20 years of serving the Central and West Oahu communities,” said COO Jen Chahanovich.

The nonprofit hospital also unveiled a new logo at a reception and blessing last month at the center. Incorporated in the new logo is the landmark Aina Lani sculpture and water feature at the facility’s entrance. Aina Lani represents a volcano and was created more than 20 years ago by local artist and sculptor Sean Browne. Browne explained that Aina Lani, or “Heavenly Land,” stands for life, rebirth and rejuvenation.

For many years, the water feature was not operational. At the ceremony, however, the waterfall was turned on to mark the new beginning.

The center’s website also has changed to palimomi.org. Its business address and phone numbers remain the same.