Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 39, Number 9, 1 September 2022 — COVID-19 Awareness Campaign Wins PRSA Awards [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COVID-19 Awareness Campaign Wins PRSA Awards

(L-R) Samantha Tsui (PRSA Hnwni'i), Pono Sugonumo (Bennet Group Strotegic Communicotions), Wendy Kekohio (Komehomeho Schools), Kou'i Burgess (Komehomeho Schools) ond Dr. Noloni Blosidell ('Aho Hui o Nō Kouko) ot the 2022 PRSA Awords Ceremony,- Photo: Courtesy Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, a coalition of 13 organizations collaborated to protect the heahh and wellbeing of our lāhui and other Paeihe Islanders by providing culturally tailored messaging in an effort to cut through the noise and misinformation about the disease, its prevention, and eventually, about vaccinations. Called the Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (NHPI) COVID-19 Collective Awareness and Prevention Campaign, the hui included 'Aha Hui o Nā Kauka, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Kamehameha Schools, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Papa Ola Lōkahi, Lili'uokalani Trust, the Queen's Heakh Systems, King Lunalilo Trust and Home, Partners in Development Foundation, Kawaiaha'o Church, COVID Pau and We Are Oeeania. Puhlie

Relations firm, Bennet Group, provided project management and drove strategic eommunieations. In recognition of the hui's collective effort on the NHPI COVID-19 Collective Awareness and Prevention Campaign, the Puhlie Relations Society of America's Hawai'i Chapter recently presented Bennet Group with a Koa Anvil award for Multicultural Puhlie Relations

(Associations, Government and Nonprofit organizations), and a Koa Hammer Award for Brochures (fewer than 10 pages). The awards were presented at PRSA Hawai'i's annual awards ceremony on August 4. Representing the hui and joining Bennet Group at the ceremony were Kau'i Burgess and Wendy Kekahio of Kamehameha Schools, and Dr. Nālani Blaisdell ffom 'Aha Hui o Nā Kauka. ■