Traffic accident survivor
wins state rehab award
CORRECTION
Friday, June 20, 2003» Tara Van Mols is manager of the Kona Natural Foods store in Waimea on the Big Island. A story misspelled her last name.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at corrections@starbulletin.com.Steven "Bubba" Sasaki has been named West Hawaii 2002 Outstanding Rehabilitant of the Year by the state Department of Human Services.
Additionally, Kona Natural Foods has been recognized as an outstanding employer of persons with disabilities. The firm received a plaque during a ceremony in April at Crossroads Shopping Center, Kailua-Kona.
Sasaki and some friends were riding in the back of a pickup truck when it was struck by a drunken driver in June 1995. He was left near death with severe head and bodily injuries.
Doctors thought Sasaki would spend the rest of his life in an institution if he survived, but through his parents' love and support and his positive attitude and dedication to rehabilitation, he "made a remarkable recovery," state vocational officials said.
His rehabilitation team encouraged him to try a part-time job and referred him to Kona Krafts for job coaching and placement.
He was hired on Valentine's Day 2000 as a greeter at Wal-Mart in the garden section.
He now works four hours per week and hopes to increase his hours, according to the DHS Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Services for the Blind.
In the employer category, Richard and Mary Flack, owners of Kona Natural foods, recently opened a second location in Waimea on the Big Island. The site serves as a work training site for Kealakehe High School students in a special education-vocational rehabilitation work/study program.
Tara Van Mois, store manager, and Eric Hong, deli manager, helped the student clients learn positive work habits and attitude and job skills, according to the citation.
Kona Natural Foods provided career shadowing and training and gave one student client paid employment as a deli clerk.
