A $2 million gift to the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Center on Aging is “;wonderful, wonderful news for UH and for Hawaii,”; says Dr. Kathryn Braun, volunteer director of the center.

She said the center has had no funding since 1993, when Dr. Anthony Lenzer retired. The directors since then - Dr. Larry Koseki from 1993-1995 and Braun since 1995 - have served voluntarily.

Blair Parry-Okeden presented the gift to the center in honor of her mother, the late Barbara Cox Anthony, longtime Honolulu resident, philanthropist and former director of Cox Enterprises. Anthony was the daughter of three-time Ohio Gov. and Cox Enterprises founder James M. Cox.

A Barbara Cox Anthony Chair in Aging will be established and a national search undertaken for a gerontologist to lead the Center on Aging, said Braun, professor of public health and social work and chairwoman of the public health doctoral program.

“;I'm ecstatic about the development,”; she said in an interview. “;We have one of the most rapidly aging states in the nation, and we get requests all the time from Japan, China and Korea to consult with them on aging issues - how to keep elder adults healthy, how to finance pension systems and long-term care, insurance and how to develop services to allow seniors to age in place at home.”;

About 14 percent of Hawaii's residents are 65 or older, compared with 12 percent nationally, according to UH.

The Center on Aging was established by the Board of Regents in 1988 to “;stimulate and coordinate gerontological and aging instruction, research and community services”; and encourage collaboration between the university and other organizations concerned with aging.

“;Somehow the budget was cut and money disappeared,”; Braun said. As volunteer directors, she and Koseki brought in extramural contracts and grants to support their work with the center, she said.

They were able to hire some staff, and the School of Public Health donated a half-time position for teaching, she said, noting they were graduating 10 undergraduates a year with advanced certificates in aging.

“;We were able to hold it together for quite a while doing research and teaching,”; Braun said, adding that the center has worked on a lot of projects with the Executive Office on Aging and various community groups.

She said Gary Ostrander, UH vice chancellor for research and graduate education, and UH-Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw “;are very supportive of a strong Center on Aging”; and have been looking for ways to fund positions.

Ostrander, in a news release, said, “;The timing of the gift is fortuitous as various independent efforts at UH-Manoa have been coming together to address what will be significant challenges for the people of Hawaii as our population continues to age faster than nearly every other state.”;

Hinshaw said, “;This gift, which will truly benefit the people of Hawaii in the area of aging, is a wonderful memorial to an exceptional woman philanthropist.”;

“;This is fabulous that they were able to work with the estate and decide that $2 million would be earmarked for care of aging,”; Braun said. “;We will have a strong Center on Aging going again.”;