The Friends of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center raised nearly $100,000 at its annual fundraising event Nov. 18 at the Diamond Head home of Priscilla and Jim Growney.

The event’s theme was "Gala Italia." It featured an array of gourmet food and wine from Italy, live music by Max Solmsson and the South Shore String Quintet, and tours of the Growneys’ contemporary art collection. More than 100 people attended.

Platinum sponsors included the Queen’s Medical Center, Hawaii Pacific Health, First Hawaiian Bank and the Kobayashi Group.

Construction is under way on a state-of-the-art cancer research center.The new UH Cancer Center will open its doors in 2013.

"We are lucky to have such great supporters and people who believe in the work that we do at the UH Cancer Center," said Dr. Michele Carbone, director of the UH Cancer Center.

FOUNDATION GRANT

The First Hawaiian Bank Foundation has given St. Francis Healthcare Foundation of Hawaii $100,000 toward construction of the one-story, 15,000-square-foot St. Francis Intergenerational Center in Ewa Villages.

The center will combine a preschool and adult day care under one roof and will be built on 1.25 acres across the street from the 149-unit Franciscan Vistas Ewa senior independent-living community in Ewa Villages, St. Francis said.

It will bring young and old together for intergenerational activities such as cultural celebrations, music, games, and arts and crafts.

"We are pleased to support St. Francis’ efforts to build a much-needed facility that provides daily care and support for older adults and young children living in the growing Ewa community," said Bob Harrison, First Hawaiian Bank president and chief operating officer.

$40,000 RAISED

The American Heart Association’s 2011 Maui Go for Red Women Luncheon raised more than $40,000 for medical research and public education programs, the association’s Maui chapter said.

More than 250 people attended the Nov. 19 event at the Fairmont Kea Lani Resort & Spa.

"We are excited that so many Maui residents invested their time and resources to make this year’s event such a success," event chairwoman Karin Harris said. "Heart health is a delicate combination of balanced nutrition, regular exercise, cardiac risk factor awareness and, yes, enjoying regular doses of fun."

The luncheon included a fashion show, sponsored by Macy’s, featuring local heart disease survivors ranging from 21 to 60 years old.

Research funded by the American Heart Association has yielded important discoveries such as CPR, life-extending drugs, pacemakers, bypass surgery and surgical techniques to repair heart defects.

POLLUTION CHECK

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $24,974 grant to the Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services for a campaign to control sources of indoor air pollution and reduce exposure to toxic cleaning chemicals at Kuhio Park Terrace.

The project’s goal is to provide residents of the public housing complex with information and tools to use cleaning chemicals more safely. Many of the complex’s residents are of Pacific Islander ancestry, so the Environmental Protection Agency classifies this as an environmental justice grant.

"By supporting local environmental justice projects in underserved communities, we are expanding the conversation on environmentalism and advancing environmental justice in communities across the nation," said Lisa Garcia, EPA senior adviser for environmental justice.

KAISER DONATIONS

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii in December made more than $128,000 in grant funding to four community and governmental organizations to address healthy eating initiatives and promote nutrition and wellness. Grant amounts and recipients are:

» $40,300 to the state Department of Education to establish a Hawaii Team Nutrition program.

» $30,000 to the City and County of Honolulu to promote the city’s People’s Open Market, the largest farmers market network in Hawaii with 25 locations.

» $11,000 to Head Start Association of Hawaii to support a partnership with Honolulu Theatre for Youth to create a performance aimed at encouraging preschool children to make healthy food choices.

» $10,000 to the Kohala Center to support SNAP/EBT redemption systems in six farmers markets involving 170 local vendors on Hawaii island.

» $10,000 to the Food Basket, Hawaii island’s food bank, to extend its Community Supported Agriculture program and provide seniors with access to fresh produce.

» $27,000 to Hawaii Foodbank to support the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program and provide fresh produce to seniors.