Report Title:

Living Treasures of Hawaii Program 25^th Anniversary

WHEREAS, the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawai'i, whose roots go back to the first service held on March 3, 1889, established the many vibrant Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temples throughout the State of Hawai'i and continue to perpetuate the ideals of wisdom and compassion in everyday action; and

WHEREAS, the LIVING TREASURES OF HAWAII program seeks out and honors those unheralded individuals, who, in their understanding that all facets of life are connected, seem to be more awake than others, give unselfishly of themselves with humility and the belief that those who have the ability to contribute to society have a responsibility to do so; and

WHEREAS, in 1976, the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawai'i, initiated the LIVING TREASURES OF HAWAI'I program to honor distinguished members of our community for their ability to look beyond the mundane and strive for excellence in all that they do; and

WHEREAS, these Living Treasures truly reflect our State's diversity as they come from an array of ages, races, religions, and levels of affluence, and whose lives, dedicated to music, art, literature, and politics, flame like candles, dispelling the shadows cast upon everyday life; and

WHEREAS, at the beginning of this new millennium, the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii humbly looks back on the over 130 Living Treasures it has honored over the past twenty-five years; and

WHEREAS, the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii has made lasting contributions to society by establishing the LIVING TREASURES OF HAWAI'I program and contributing over 100 years of compassionate service to the people of our State; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2001, that this body hereby commends and congratulates the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii for contributing twenty-five years of service to the community through the LIVING TREASURES OF HAWAI'I program, and extends to them its warmest aloha and best wishes for continued success in all future endeavors.