On Friday, April 29 at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, the Friends honored three uniquely wonderful people who have made a difference in the lives of abused children.

Gail Madie (left) created and maintains the Friends’ critical child database, keeping all the information current and accurate.  Without this vital information, the Friends could not make correct and timely reports to our granting organizations.

The Honorable Judge Ben Gaddis (center), a retired judge from the Family Court, has had a long career of helping children of abuse through the Judicial system.  His compassion and caring for these deserving children has been a highlight of his time on the bench.

Psychologist and Teacher Dr. Christopher “Kit” Barthel III (right) helped to steer the state of Hawaii to understanding the trauma of child abuse.  His work brought insight into the judicial process, which helps to minimize the further trauma of interviews.

Plus… a great time was had by all!