Gifts from the Heart
By Tara Olney
Rawlin Sasamura ’09, Terry Kawamura ’76 Sasamura, Ross Sasamura ’78 and Reed Sasamura ’05
In celebration of their respective 50th Reunions, Terry Kawamura ’76 Sasamura and Ross Sasamura ’78 have made a generous three-part gift to Punahou. Recently retired – Terry from the Bank of Hawai‘i and Ross from the City of Honolulu – the couple has always been dedicated to the School. “Punahou gave me many defining moments, from supportive friends to faculty who prepared us well and opportunities that shaped who I am today. Most memorably, it is where I met my life partner,” Terry said.
Over the decades, Terry and Ross have been active donors and volunteers on campus. “We both were involved with working our class shifts at the Carnival and our Reunion committees after coming home from California,” Terry shared. “Staying connected to our classmates enriched our lives and it was important to maintain those relationships.” They also stayed engaged while their sons, Reed ‘05 and Rawlin ‘09, were students. “When our sons were in high school, we tried to be involved as much as we could,” Ross recounted. “We were the parent support group coordinators for the Punahou JROTC program for four years and we chaired the noodle booth at the Carnival during their sophomore and junior years.”
As they looked ahead to their respective 50th Reunions, Terry and Ross knew they wanted to contribute meaningfully. “I made my first gift a few years after graduation and we gave as a couple consistently every Reunion cycle and periodically in non-Reunion years,” Terry said. “After our sons enrolled at Punahou, giving back became even more important. It all stems from gratitude. Our parents worked very hard to send us to Punahou and I was always taught to be grateful for all that I had, even the hardships that came my way.” Ross added, “We enjoyed the unique experiences as students and as parents of this wonderful Punahou community and made lifelong friendships and memories. We are thankful for our blessings and giving is our way to pay it forward. The future generations deserve the same opportunities and experiences we have been blessed with.”
Their 50th Reunion gift commitment includes a five-year pledge to establish an endowed fund for the Clarence T. C. Ching PUEO Program at Punahou. “The 50th Reunion is a big milestone and you never know what life will bring, so we wanted to make a lasting gift that even our sons and grandchildren could contribute to,” Terry explained. “We established a family endowed fund to benefit Punahou’s PUEO program because the mission to serve and support scholars with unlimited potential and limited resources resonated with us. I was impressed with the successful results of the program as well. It truly aligns with Punahou’s commitment to being a private school with a public purpose. When discussing what to do for our 50th Reunion gift, it was a no brainer for us. Since we are both alumni, this gift needed to be meaningful.”
The Sasamuras also created a deferred Charitable Gift Annuity that will begin paying out in five years at a 7.1% rate for the rest of their lives, with the remainder directed to their endowed fund. Director of Gift Planning Carrie Ogami noted that this structure “is a generous, tax-savvy contribution that both supplements the donors’ retirement income and strengthens the long-term impact of their gift.”
Finally, they also designated Punahou as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, which will support their endowed fund as well. “I learned about all the different ways of giving through my involvement with my class Reunion and Gift Committees. It fills my heart with pride to see my classmates working tirelessly to make our 50th Reunion the best one yet,” Terry said.
Together, these three gifts from the Sasamura family in honor of their 50th Reunion will make a lasting difference for Punahou and for children across O‘ahu.
For more information about making a gift like this, please contact Director of Gift Planning Carrie Ogami at cogami@punahou.edu or 808-944-5845.
