Ebert Honored with Outstanding Older American Award
Ebert Honored with Outstanding Older American Award for Flipping the Script on Aging
By Sara Stover
Ron Ebert received Hawaiʻi County’s 2025 Outstanding Older American Award in recognition of the aloha he shares with the community. Ebert was honored at the recent ceremony at Hilton Waikōloa Village Resort on Friday, May 9. Of the 12 kūpuna from Hawaiʻi County who were nominated, Ebert and one woman, Patricia Dunn of Hilo, were chosen to receive the award. In addition to Ebert, there were three other Kaʻū residents honored, including Pahala nominee Loretta Lorenzo, and Ocean View nominees Sue Brown and Ray Elmore.
The Outstanding Older American Award is an annual program that recognizes the contributions of older adults in their communities. It is presented during Older Americans Month, which has been observed every May since President Kennedy started the tradition in 1963 to recognize the positive contributions that adults 65 years and older make in their communities, highlight aging trends, and reaffirm commitment to serving older adults. This award was first given out in Hawaiʻi County in 1968.
This year’s theme, “Flip the Script on Aging,” focuses on transforming how society perceives, discusses, and approaches aging. It encourages individuals and communities to challenge stereotypes and dispel misconceptions about kūpuna. Ron Johnson, Pahala Senior Club Secretary, nominated Ebert for the 2025 award.
A 27-year Kaʻū resident, Ebert is also a Vietnam veteran who volunteered to serve in the Navy in place of another sailor whose wife was seven months pregnant. Volunteerism has been a passion of his ever since. Since 2001, he has been captain of Pāhala Volunteer Fire Department #11-Delta and Naʻalehu VFD #11-Alpha for the last two years. For more than 20 years, Ebert has been on the board of directors for Kaʻū Hospital Charitable Foundation, an organization that raises funds for improvements at the hospital in collaboration with Red Hatters and Ka Lae Quilters.
Since its inception in 2006, Ebert has been active with ʻO Kaʻū Kākou, supporting residents with home safety projects and promoting a healthy community, including helping to raise funds for various sports teams at Kaʻū High School. Beginning in 2008, he was a founding member of Kaʻū Community Development Plan Steering Committee.
Ebert is challenging kūpuna stereotypes through his ongoing efforts, which include advocating for safety for Green Sands Subdivision, including an emergency access road into Mark Twain, so that firefighters have access to a closer water source in Discovery Harbour. Ebert, who lives at Punaluʻu Mauka, advocates for public safety improvements at Punaluʻu and is active in supporting an increase in private-system water rates there that would provide funds to improve and add fire hydrants.
Ebert is also the minister at Ocean View Church of Christ, which raises funds for many safety projects. Contributions go to projects ranging from sending $10,000 to Lahaina, Maui for fire recovery to local improvements.
“Ron defies the stereotypes about what it means to be a senior citizen by staying so active in his community and daily life,” said Julie Pasquale, Pahala Senior Nutrition Site Manager. Ebert has been active in hula, winning first place in ERS Kūpuna Hula Festivals Men’s Division in 2002 and third in 2016. At 80 years old, Ebert is flipping the script on aging by riding 40 to 60 miles per week to and from Pāhala, and sometimes 27 more when he takes Kaʻalaʻiki Road to Naʻalehu. Riding his bike also keeps him in shape for volunteer firefighting.
“I was really taken aback when I learned I’d been nominated! I see myself as a servant, not as someone to be recognized. I’m just trying to lead by example through community service,” said Ebert. “As long as I am being recognized, my hope is that it inspires others to volunteer. We definitely need more volunteer firefighters, but volunteering can be as simple as helping the food basket with distribution like my wife, Nadine, or picking up trash on the highway once a month. You never know what kind of difference you can make by giving back.”
On June 13, Ebert will join Outstanding Older American awardees from other counties for a luncheon in Honolulu, in recognition of their accomplishments.
