UnitedHealthcare has pledged $4,000 to the Hawaii “;Swim With Mike”; swim-athon fundraiser for the Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund that benefits three Hawaii students. This is in addition to the nearly $35,000 donated to the national scholarship fund.

» Fulutusi “;Tusi”; Mailo, a former all-state linebacker on the Kahuku High School football team, broke his neck on a sandbar while bodysurfing. He is finishing up his bachelor's degree in mathematics at Brigham Young University-Hawaii.

» Ann Hamanalau Yoshida, a paraplegic, graduated from Mililani High School, completed a B.S. in speech pathology and audiology at the University of Hawaii, and is in graduate studies at Utah State in rehabilitation counseling/speech pathology.

» Joe Broc was born with spina bifida-myelomeningocele, resulting in below-the-knee paralysis. He competed on the outrigger canoe paddling varsity team at Kahuku High School and was in the World Sprints Outrigger Canoe Championships this year. Broc is majoring in communications at Hawaii Pacific University.

  Pat Rocco received a Certificate of Appreciation from Big Island Mayor Harry Kim for helping with the homeless, staging of Christmas parades and his presidency of the Puna Chamber of Commerce and the Black Sands Beach Community Association. He also gave 14 years of entertainment at Pahoa's Akebono Theatre, and three terms as president and delegate of Puna's 17th Democratic precinct.

Rocco was recognized for his volunteer service awards from two U.S. presidents, one vice president and, since 1989, every Big Island mayor and County Council, state governor, congressman, senator and state representative.