As a member of the Key Club and Civil Air Patrol at Kaimuki High School, Wayne Kamaura always had an interest in serving and helping others. After graduation, Wayne became a U.S. Navy civilian electronics engineer and achieved a top-secret clearance while working on major projects. The highlight of his professional career was being catapulted off and landing on an aircraft carrier!
In addition to a successful professional career, Wayne developed and became accomplished in diverse interests including biking, skiing and scuba diving. As a bicyclist, Wayne completed several long rides including one from Santa Barbara to San Diego. A skilled scuba diver, Wayne has made dives as deep as 120 feet in California and Hawai‘i. Wayne would use his passion in these activities as a vehicle to continue to help others. As a professional ski instructor, Wayne taught developmentally challenged and paraplegic children and adults. Because of his efforts, many were able to enjoy their first skiing experience.
Since KHS, Wayne has made significant contributions in his communities. For example, when Texas was hit with historic flooding a few years ago, Wayne volunteered his time and effort to help. He became a tireless volunteer with the Samaritan’s Purse (SP) when he was living in Kyle, Texas, a town just south of Austin.
SP is a nondenominational, evangelic Christian organization that provides disaster relief services throughout the world. For the past several years, Wayne learned how to tear out drywall and rebuild foundations and walls for families whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Harvey. In his second deployment with SP, Wayne helps to provide flood response services in Weslaco, Texas. As if this were not enough, in true service spirit, he became a member of the Hays County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and undergoes monthly disaster response training to back up local fire, law enforcement and emergency services in the event of a disaster.
Trading in a little Hawaiian pidgin English for a little Texas drawl, Wayne’s spirit of service has traveled from Kaimuki to California, Nevada and Texas. He finds no deeper satisfaction than helping people affected by disaster to rebuild not just their homes but their lives as well. Well done, Wayne!
