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Congratulations Joyce!

Anyone who has visited Senator Ige's office during session over the last 15 years is not surprised to learn that the University of Hawaii Athletics has awarded the 2008 Charlie Ushijima Memorial Award to Joyce Morita for her many years of service to the UH Athletics program.

Joyce has been at the heart of Senator Ige's office for the past 15 years. She is the first person you see upon entering and immediately makes you feel comfortable like long-time friends. She takes calls from constituents, even irate ones who are screaming complaints, and patiently listens to their concerns or points of view. In many cases, she resolves the problems, and even in those instances where no solution is possible, she makes the caller feel satisfied that someone is listening and all options have been exhausted.

Everyone in the Capitol knows when Joyce is cooking in Room 215, whether its scrambled eggs, Portuguese sausage, and rice for breakfast, a healthy salad with her homemade dressings for lunch, or chopped steak or fresh corn beef and cabbage for those late night sessions. It is amazing how good comfort food energizes the staff during the most stressful and hectic deadlines.

Many dignitaries and guests to Senator Ige's office have received one of Joyce's puakenikeni leis. Joyce's flowers smell vibrant but not overwhelming and seem to last so much longer than others.

Joyce is the glue that holds the staff together. She is the institutional memory of concerns raised in the community or Senator Ige's position on the controversial issues. She juggles the many demands for people to meet with the Senator and magically arranges the perfect balance that maximizes his impact within his community.

Congratulations Joyce on being honored as the 2008 Charlie Ushijima Memorial Award winner. We know, first hand, how much of a difference you make for all that you meet.

Posted on December 13, 2008 12:32 AM | Permalink