Bank of Hawaii volunteers invest time to help Moiliili

Darlene Pieper is three hours closer to clocking more than 50 hours of community service — a personal goal for the Kapahulu resident — after spending her Saturday morning sorting and organizing donations at the Moiliili Community Center’s Thrift Store.

"Bank of Hawaii really is all about volunteering," said Pieper, administrative assistant in the bank marketing division. "I try to volunteer at least once a month, bringing me to 40 hours a year, but I think I’m gonna hit 50 this year."

Pieper was one of nearly 100 volunteers from Bank of Hawaii who dedicated their weekend morning to helping the Moiliili community. From 9 a.m. to noon, the bank volunteers sorted, organized and labeled items donated to the Moiliili Community Center Thrift Store, trimmed the trees and weed-whacked the yard at the home of Project Dana, on Nakookoo Street in Moiliili near the community center.

Project Dana is an interfaith volunteer program committed to providing services to homebound seniors, including transportation to medical appointments or religious services, and assisting in grocery shopping, minor home repairs and light housekeeping. Established in 1989 by Shim Kanazawa, Project Dana "works through various churches and temples on the island to provide those services," said Donna Tanoue, president of the Bank of Hawaii Foundation.

"Project Dana is really powerful because they provide the services that seniors need," Tanoue said.

Brian Ishikawa, director of corporate security for Bank of Hawaii, also presented a 30-minute financial exploitation seminar for the seniors of Moiliili in the community center.

"We’ve seen quite a significant increase both nationally and locally where seniors are defrauded and we need to push them to learn as much as they can to prevent victimization," Ishikawa said.

Nobuko Nakano, 84, a retired Moiliili resident, attended the seminar and said, "I have to make sure I know how to protect what little assets I have."

For the next 21⁄2 months Bank of Hawaii will continue providing these seminars in different parts of the community, Tanoue said.

During the event’s opening program, U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa praised Bank of Hawaii by saying, "It is really something seeing all this pulled together. Bank of Hawaii is so dedicated to the community."

Also in attendance were U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka and U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono.

From beach cleanups to serving Thanksgiving dinner for the Salvation Army at the Blaisdell Arena, Bank of Hawaii coordinates three to four community service events a month. Because Bank of Hawaii opened a Moiliili branch in June, it was the perfect time to do community service in the area, said Mary Townsley-Ross, vice president for corporate communications.

Chantell Smeisser, 27, said she jumped at the chance to volunteer when she heard Saturday’s community service project was in Moiliili.

"I use to go to summer fun over here (at the Moiliili Community Center) when I was younger," said Smeisser, a branch manager in Kailua. ""It’s rewarding to give back and it’s all for love."

Bank of Hawaii, the state’s second largest bank, was voted the nation’s top- performing bank by Forbes magazine in 2009 and 2010.

"It’s a wonderful thing," Hanabusa said. "We have a great bank in the community concerned about the community."