Volunteer Instructor and Member of Windward YMCA Tai Chi and Tai Chi in the Park
Toni Matsuda has been a hard worker all her life. For 20 years, she was a cashier, cosmetics consultant, and department manager at Longs Drugs. Then, she worked as a sales associate supplying Longs and other stores with products like Spam, Nabisco, and Hersheys for 20 more years.
But when it was time to play, she and husband Tommy go all out. They used to ride a Harley-Davidson around the island every Sunday with a motorcycle club whose motto was "Live to Ride. Ride to Eat." They stopped for breakfast, lunch, and dessert during the day-long rides.
Now, they are trying something different. Tommy makes beautiful, gallery-quality bowls from locally sourced wood, and Toni started taiko (paranku drum) lessons at Salt Lake District Park.
She practices tai chi every day and enjoys spending time with her six grandchildren.
You can identify Toni by her smiling eyes and mischievous, youthful expression.
By Wendi Lau
Kelvin’s note: I LOVE the motto!