WAIMEA — Doris Nekomoto didn’t mind being Sarah Date Saturday. Date, the spearhead for the Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital’s annual craft fair was off-island, and in her stead, Nekomoto fielded questions and tended to the minute details that arose at
WAIMEA — Doris Nekomoto didn’t mind being Sarah Date Saturday.
Date, the spearhead for the Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital’s annual craft fair was off-island, and in her stead, Nekomoto fielded questions and tended to the minute details that arose at the fair, one of three being held around the island.
“We’re lucky this year’s fair isn’t on the same day as the (Veterans Day) parade,” Nekomoto said. “Usually when we have our craft fair, it usually conflicts with the parade, but this year, we’re lucky.”
She said all of the proceeds from the event featuring 26 vendors benefit the KVMH hospital in either equipment for patients or the hospital’s staff.
Coordinated by the KVMH Auxiliary, Nekomoto said one of the benefits the hospital receives is that the auxiliary gives every department an opportunity to ask for something.
Whether or not the request is granted depends on the success of the annual craft fair.
Some of the equipment purchased from previous years’ fairs include photo therapy lights, waiting room furniture, stethoscopes, ergonomically-correct chairs for the office staff, “Fluid-o” therapy items as well as supplies to open the Kalaheo office, said Pat Pablo, another of the auxiliary volunteers.
“One of the popular items is the baked goods and food sale,” Nekomoto said. “This year, the feature was the chicken hekka plate lunch which has been quite popular.”
Volunteers Edna Kawamura and Fujiko Akamine were manning one of the tables offering a variety of cookies and baked goods from one of the shops in Waimea town.
“We were lucky because Cheryl Salizar brought over a tray of apple turnovers which went out real fast,” the ladies said. “Cheryl is one of the KVMH board members and every year, she helps out with some baked goods. This year, the apple turnovers were still warm so people just scooped them up.”
In addition to the craft items being offered, the KVMH gift shop had some of their featured items joining the lineup of goods, including their recently-released cookbook.
Na Lima Kokua Oshibana group, volunteers from the National Tropical Botanical Garden, had a preview of items they will have available when it hosts its annual fair on Dec. 7 at the NTBG Visitor Center in Koloa.
“We meet every Friday and do crafts, usually using items from the gardens,” said Margery Hexton, one of Na Lima Kokua volunteers. “But we also sew things and have a variety of items.”
The NTBG craft fair will run from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the proceeds of that event benefiting the botanical garden.
This week’s scheduled craft fair moves to Kapa‘a where the KIDS preschool hosts its annual event coinciding with the annual Veterans Day parade which will run through Kapa‘a town.
