Congratulations to Drug Court graduates

Aloha,

Friends of the Maui Drug Court offers heartfelt congratulations to the following graduates of the Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court program, all of whom were honored for their accomplishments at the commencement ceremony held at the Second Circuit Courthouse yesterday (April 24):

- Elery Akoi

- Kekaihalai Avilez

- Richard Baisa

- Clayton J.K. Bal

- Heather English

- Peter Feliciano

- Patrick Kaupe

- Raygene Keala

Yesterday's event was the 22nd commencement ceremony since the Drug Court began its work in 2000. The ceremony featured guest speakers Nita Gage (Clinical Director of Aloha House) and TV and film star Branscombe Richmond.

Chief Judge Shackley Raffetto presided over the ceremony, and Circuit Court Judges Joseph Cardoza and Richard Bissen also assisted with presentations to the graduates. Other participants included Deputy Prosecuting Attorney John Kim, Deputy Public Defender Ed Menor, Armon Tavares (Program Director of Aloha House), Leslie Maeda (Clinical Supervisor of the Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court), and MC Klinton Kamiya.

Friends of the Maui Drug Court also wishes to remind community members that the organization is honored to be the featured charity at next week's First Friday Wailuku event, as detailed in this press release issued last week:


For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2008

Contact:
Bob Horcajo
bob@livemaui.com
808.244.4000

WAILUKU, Maui, Hawai`i -- Friends of the Maui Drug Court will be the featured charity at the next First Friday Wailuku celebration on May 2, Bob Horcajo of Kama`aina Properties, Inc. announced today.

Since 2000, the Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court has been working to break the cycle of substance abuse, crime and recidivism in Maui County. Drug Court provides non-violent offenders an opportunity to avoid or minimize incarceration upon successful completion of an intensive substance abuse treatment program.

Drug Court graduates have a dramatically lower recidivism rate than the rest of the criminal population, making the Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court a highly cost-efficient program. Friends of the Maui Drug Court (FMDC) supports the Drug Court by raising and disbursing funds to provide services to Drug Court clients and graduates and to provide training to Drug Court professionals.

From 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. on May 2, Drug Court professionals and FMDC representatives will be available at the office of Kama`aina Properties, Inc., at the corner of Market and Main Sts. in Wailuku, to talk to visitors about the work of the Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court. Tax-deductible contributions to FMDC will be welcomed.

The Wailuku Community Association, in conjunction with Tri-Isle Main Street Resource Center, established First Friday Wailuku to display historic Wailuku Town's artistic, cultural, culinary and retail offerings. First Friday Wailuku is supported by the County of Maui's Product Enrichment Program.

FMDC's founding and current president is S. Larry Schlesinger, M.D. Other officers and board members include Kevin Kunz, M.D., Arlene Uchigakiuchi of Mutual Underwriters, James Hirano of Maui Community Correctional Center, State Sen. J. Kalani English and attorneys Randall Endo, Kirstin Hamman and Donald Guzman.

Drug Court graduation ceremonies are scheduled for April 24 on Maui and April 28 on Moloka`i. May is National Drug Court Month, and May 2 is the last day of Law Week.

The Honorable Shackley F. Raffetto is the founding and current Drug Court Judge for the Second Circuit Court, based in Wailuku. Barbara-Ann Keller, M.S.W., is the Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court Administrator.

FMDC is supported by grants from the Maui Quarantine Fund and the Crystal Meth Initiative, both administered by the Hawai`i Community Foundation. More information about the Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court is available at http://mauidrugcourt.info/.

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