It is easy to see the bond between Patricia Junger and Shirley Fukui.
- Shirley Fukui helps out at Sunlake retirement community
- She helped create the SMILE program
- SMILE program helps residents pay bills, provides food
"She's just amazing, and that’s my amazing friend, Shirley Fukui," Junger said.
Junger has a few nicknames for her friend.
"She's like an energy bunny. She's constantly going, going, going," Junger said, "She's the Mother Teresa of Sunlake."
At 83 years old, Fukui is the vice president of the Sunlake Volunteer Fire Department, which serves the Lake County retirement community.
Funded through the fire department, Fukui helped create the "SMILE" program, which helps residents in need pay their bills and provides food or transportation to a doctor's appointment.
"When we were young, we had nothing, but the neighbors always did for each other, and that’s what I'm doing now, just carrying on," Fukui explained.
Fukui also volunteers at the humane society, collects hearing aids for kids, petsits and works the polls during elections.
With all the things she does, Junger said the residents at Sunlake know to do one thing.
"If anybody needs anything, they say, 'Call Shirley,' " she said with a laugh.