Champions help to heal communities — Part 6

by Sharon Higa | Feb. 19, 2025

The HEI Charitable Foundation annually recognizes six outstanding employee volunteers with a $1,000 donation awarded to a nonprofit organization of their choice. The 2024 Kokua Community Service Champions are all leaders with a desire to serve and through giving back are helping bridge the gap so communities can heal and thrive. I’m pleased to introduce this year’s honorees and their selected nonprofits through a series of blogs dedicated to each individual champion.

Bryson Toma, Shift Supervisor, Operations & System Planning — Hawaiʻi Island

Our next 2024 Kokua Champion, Bryson Toma, is a shift supervisor and leader of the Hawaiʻi Island generation department, a role that helps to keep the lights on for our Big Island customers. The Hilo native is also a former Hawaii Army National Guard member who faithfully served our country as an Army medic from 1996 until his retirement in 2020.

When told he was selected for the award, Bryson chose the Puna Hongwanji Mission to receive the HEI donation. Located in Keaʻau, the Mission was founded more than a century ago to provide spiritual support and guidance for first generation Japanese immigrants. The present temple was built in 1937 with donation from members, and today has expanded to care for and support the community.

Bryson, left, with Reverand Tomioka of Puna Hongwanji Mission in January 2025. All photos courtesy of Bryson Toma.

Above and right: Bryson helping to set up lanterns and decorations for the Puna Hongwanji Mission bon dance.

Bryson shared, “First off, I’m humbled to be considered and chosen for a community champion. When the guard was deployed overseas to Iraq in 2005–2006 to support Operation Iraqi Freedom the Puna Hongwanji would send care packages to me, and they were like gold.”

In addition to snacks, the care packages included handwritten letters of support with “come home safe” and other comforting messages. “Let’s say I felt like a kid on Christmas Day opening presents,” laughed Bryson.

After joining Hawaiian Electric in 2007, Bryson was deployed the following year to Kuwait, doing missions north to Iraq and back. He oversaw the aid station where people were triaged.

“I remember getting those flat rate boxes when returning to Kuwait after weeks on the road and it always put a smile on my face,” he said, reminiscing. “When returning from deployment, the Hongwanji recognized some of us with ties to the church with a luncheon,” added Bryson, whose ties are through his dad’s membership in the church.

Above left, the Hawaiʻi Army National Guard in 2005. Above right: Bryson with Jason “Wee Man” Acuña in 2007 during the actor/writer’s MWR tour to support U.S. troops overseas.

Since that mission, Bryson maintained his certification as a National Registered emergency medical technician and trained with the Guard one weekend a month to maintain their rigorous standards.

Bryson’s “can do” attitude is another reason he’s often called upon for help. When a retired colonel and friend of Bryson’s learned the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Replica Wall mobile exhibit was coming to Hawaii in January 2024 for the first time, he immediately contacted Bryson who got the ball rolling for assistance within Hawaiian Electric.

“I give credit to our lineman who raised the flag in front of the memorial,” he said. “I heard many people saying that it was impressive to see the huge flag flying high.”

Organizers of the traveling exhibit chose downtown Hilo for the start of its 2024 touring season to provide a healing experience for veterans and their families and an educational experience for visitors. The wall bears the name of nearly 60,000 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.

This past May with just a week’s notice, Bryson was instrumental as the lead coordinator of the Flag placing ceremony at the East Hawaiʻi Veteran’s Cemetery №2 on Memorial Day. In partnership with the Boy Scouts of America Pupukahi District, the annual Flag placing to honor and remember fallen service members drew about 50 Hawaiian Electric employees and their families to support the event.

Bryson, front row second from left, with his two sons, daughter and wife, at the 2024 Memorial Day flag placing event at East Hawaiʻi Veteran’s Cemetery, along with the Hawaiian Electric ʻohana.

In addition, for the past several years as a supervisor, Bryson also has led and encouraged participation in his department’s Food Bank donations and Hawaiʻi Island United Way campaigns, which raises needed funds for his community.

From one of Bryson’s colleagues, “Bryson Toma is the definition of a Kokua Community Champion, and we are honored to work alongside him.”

And, that’s a wrap on our 2024 Kokua Community Service Champions! Mahalo for reading!

Sharon Higa is a senior communications consultant at Hawaiian Electric.