Jan 06, 2006 Waimea Valley, HI
North Shore Kama'aina of the Year Honored at Annual Chamber Christmas Party

The two North Shore Kama'aina of the Year, James Awai Jr. and Rod Miller, M.D., were honored at the North Shore Chamber of Commerce's Annual Christmas Party and Auction December 1st, 2005. James Awai, best known as an aide for former legislators State Representative Joe Leong, State Senator Gerry Hagino, City Council member Rene Mansho, and our current Senator Robert Bunda, was honored for his tireless work on behalf of the community. Jimmy, as he is known by his friends, is most proud of helping and advocating on behalf of the little guy when he was an aide.

Mr. Awai, whose family goes back for many generations in the Waialua District, is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and attended college in California and at the University of Hawaii. He has two sons (Keith and James III) and a daughter (Laurine) in Haleiwa.

He started his community service with the Honolulu Police Activity League when he was 23. Over the past 50 years up to the present, he has been involved in the Waialua Hawaiian Civic Club (past VP), Waialua High School Booster Club (co-chair fundraising), North Shore Jaycees (past president), Waialua Lions Club (past VP), Waialua Community Association (past president), Hui Kalo O Waialua (past president), and the North Shore Neighborhood Board (past chair and current member). He is a member of Haleiwa Main Street, now the North Shore Chamber.

Over the years he has done much for our community and people, but the accomplishments he is most proud of are: re-flooring the Historic Waialua Community Association's gym floor; working with Senator Hagino in obtaining funding for the Sunset Beach Elementary School's library, cafeteria, and permanent classrooms and the Ke Ala Pupukea Bike Path; and obtaining private and state funding for and facilitating the construction of (primarily with volunteers) the Waialua High School's baseball field completed in 2003.

Dr. Rod Miller is best known as one of the last "old-fashioned" general practitioners who would make house calls, respond to emergencies in the community before the days of ambulance service, deliver babies, perform general surgery and set broken bones. Raised on the campus of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Dr. Miller obtained his medical degree from the LSU Medical Center in 1950 after serving in the Army as a Forward Observer in the invasion of Germany during WWII, for which he received the Bronze Star. He practiced in Colorado before moving to Hawaii with his family to be a plantation doctor for the Waialua Sugar Company from 1961 to 1965. He then opened a private practice in Haleiwa where he practiced until his retirement in 1999.

As a plantation doctor, he was a tireless advocate for improving the care of the sugar workers and ensuring that they received the best medical care. This also included his supervising a renovation of the Waialua Hospital. He expected the highest standards from everyone taking care of the patients and made sure patients were treated with respect and concern. He emphasized preventive health care by doing screening tests and exams and encouraged healthy lifestyles through education and emphasis on diet and exercise. His mission was to make patients feel better than when they walked in to be seen by the doctor.

Dr. Miller was also actively involved in the community, including membership in Haleiwa Main Street and the development of the "Made in Haleiwa Town Plan." He was a trustee on the Waialua Community Association board, the Neighborhood Board, and the Wahiawa General Hospital Board. He served as Chief of Staff at the hospital and taught medical students and residents, some of whom now practice in the community.

With the help of his family, friends, and patients, he expanded the practice in 1978 and built the medical office building behind First Hawaiian Bank, the Haleiwa Family Health Center. His goal was to have a facility that would be able to completely serve the community so they wouldn't have to travel for routine and urgent care services. It included lab, x-ray, and a drug room, which later became the Haleiwa Pharmacy. Through his dedication to his patients, community, and profession, he improved the health facilities and health care in our community.

The Christmas Party was a gala event attended by over 300 guests with many of the Chamber members buying tables for their company's Christmas Party. The honorees received certificates from the offices of the governor, Congressman Ed Case, Representative Michael Magaoay, and Council Chair Donovan Dela Cruz. Other honorees were: Leslee Kanaiaupuni of North Shore Boardriders Club and Waialua High School Student Body Government for the Ho'onani (Beautification) Award, North Shore Soap Factory, Strong Current, Waialua Chop Suey, and Sugar Mill Cafe for Holomua (Improvement) Awards , and Joe Lazar of Haleiwa Joe's for the Chamber Champion Award.

For photos and more information on the North Shore Chamber of Commerce, go to the website at GoNorthShore.org or call 637-4558.