Robert “Doug” Aton
| Robert “Doug” Aton Age: 73 Birthplace: Moloka’i, Hawai’i Photographer: Rachelle Pilar, Age 13 ~ Wahiawa Middle School |
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| Mr. Aton was born on Moloka’i and has lived in Wahiawa for 68 years. He has four siblings and he and wife, Joyce, have three daughters. He attended Kunia Elementary School, Leilehua High School and the University of Hawaii at Manoa and worked for HPD as a police officer and Assistant Police Chief until his retirement in 1996. He was also active in the National Guard. Most recently, Mr. Aton served as the Chief Security Coordinator for the IUCN World Conservation Congress with over 10,000 attendees, including President Obama. | |
| My father was a remarkable man and my role model. He was the first Luna of Filipino ancestry for the California Packing Corporation. He founded the Kunia Orchid Society and created many orchid varieties, including the “Nancy,” a hybrid cattleya named after my mom. Life’s greatest gift is family and I hope I can be as inspirational to my daughters as my father was to me. I hope generations to come will have the ability to look past people’s differences. One thing I have taught my daughters is that the world doesn’t revolve around them and none of us are better or more important than anyone else. | |
| My father was a remarkable man and my role model. He was the first Luna of Filipino ancestry for the California Packing Corporation. He founded the Kunia Orchid Society and created many orchid varieties, including the “Nancy,” a hybrid cattleya named after my mom. Life’s greatest gift is family and I hope I can be as inspirational to my daughters as my father was to me. I hope generations to come will have the ability to look past people’s differences. One thing I have taught my daughters is that the world doesn’t revolve around them and none of us are better or more important than anyone else. | |
I want this to be the legacy we leave: That Wahiawa is a great place to live! |
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Rachelle Hokulani Pilar
| I have lived in Wahiawa all of my life and like how it is a small place where everyone knows each other. My father who moved to Wahiawa from the Philippines when he was seven, and my mother, who grew up in the military and lived in many places around the world including Hawai`i, decided to stay here and start a family. I chose to participate in this ProjectFocus internship because I thought it was important to learn about Wahiawaʻs history and people. There are equally as many interesting stories to be told about this town as there are about other communities in Hawai`i. | Rachelle Hokulani Pilar Age 13 Wahiawa Middle School Photographer: Lisa Uesugi Kūpuna Robert “Doug” Aton Age 73 |
I like to draw, hang out with my friends and enjoy the company of my family. I enjoy playing volleyball and am currently interested in soccer. I hope to attend a good college and pursue a job that I like. |
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