HONORING GARY SIMON
Knowing the journey a person has traveled to get to this point in life is admirable. The Hawaii Pacific Gerontological Society is honoring Gary Simon for his many years of being an advocate for Hawaii’s Kupuna.
Born in Honolulu, Gary is a proud graduate of the 1978 class at Saint Louis High School. He received his bachelor of science in chemistry from the University of Hawai‘i Manoa and says he learned how to reason and how to think rationally, as well as sensibly. More significantly, the degree taught Gary how to think freely and to consider and try different avenues and method to realize a desired outcome or solution.
Before retiring in 2019, Gary was the Director of Corporate Affairs and Advocacy at the St. Francis Healthcare System, was previously Executive Director of St. Francis Hospice and Program Director for St. Francis Health Services for Senior Citizens. As a volunteer, he serves on the boards of The Arc In Hawaii, the Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition, and Kokua Council. Gary served multiple terms on the State of Hawaii Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs and was a member of the Statewide Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias.
Fast forward to 2023 where Gary is the State President of AARP Hawaii and also the Chair of the AARP Hawaii Executive Council, a volunteer leadership committee that helps set AARP Hawaii’s state agenda and programs. He says, “The most pleasurable and nourishing aspects about my position with AARP Hawaii is cultivating connections with others, learning about their lives, their culture and values, as well as their work, while partnering with them and their agencies to build energy, momentum, and change towards a community in which all bloom and flourish.”
“When you say “I” and “my” too much, you lose the capacity to understand the “we” and “our”.” - Steve Naraboli
The 2023 HPGS fundraiser will be virtual, as it has been for the past three years. All proceeds will support HPGS and the scholarship fund. Donations may be made through the form below from now until November 30th. If you wish to write a check, complete the form below, print it out and mail to HPGS, P. O. Box 3714; Honolulu, HI 96812. HPGS a nonprofi t 501(c)(3) association. If there are any questions, please contact Sherry Goya, HPGS Executive Director, at 808-722-8487 or sgoyallc@aol.com.