LIHU‘E — Application forms for the annual Easter Seals Gingerbread Family Festival are now available at the Kaua‘i Chapter of the Easter Seals, said Shayne Tokita, speech pathologist. The Gingerbread Festival, a major fundraiser for the Easter Seals, will be
LIHU‘E — Application forms for the annual Easter Seals Gingerbread Family Festival are now available at the Kaua‘i Chapter of the Easter Seals, said Shayne Tokita, speech pathologist.
The Gingerbread Festival, a major fundraiser for the Easter Seals, will be held Dec. 12 at the Kukui Grove Center.
The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with a break for lunch.
There is a deadline of Dec. 4 to register for the gingerbread kits which will produce an 8-inch by 8-inch by 9-inch house and includes four gingerbread walls, two rooftops, a variety of decorative candy, white icing in a pastry bag, a flat cardboard foundation and clear wrap for transporting.
In previous years, people who registered to participate in the Gingerbread Festival spent some time at the mall, decorating their creations before taking them home to enjoy for the holidays.
That has not changed, but in addition to spending quality time decorating gingerbread houses and cookies, registrants can also apply for kits and pick them up at the festival so they can be worked on later, Tokita said.
“One couple could not get in to the O‘ahu Gingerbread Festival, so as a surprise, this guy planned a surprise getaway to Kaua‘i for his girlfriend so they could make a gingerbread house together,” Tokita said, noting how popular the annual event has become. “Another person, a grandfather, was going on a camping trip to Alaska with his family and picked up some kits as activities to do while in Alaska since there would be no TV.”
Tokita said the main thing is this is a great family, fun event and the monies go to support the early intervention and home and community based services programs on the island.
Some of the previous festivals have seen companies such as the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative and The Gas Company send teams, working alongside families and school groups.
One of the new facets for this year’s festival is the donation of cookies from the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa to the festival, Tokita said.
“Families now have the option of having their children decorate cookies instead of making the gingerbread house,” Tokita said. “Another option will be for children with allergies to make gingerbread ornaments to hang on their Christmas trees.”
The Kaua‘i Advisory Committee for Easter Seals will be hosting an alumni table near the cookie-making area and are encouraging families who have received services through Easter Seals on Kaua‘i to come and share their stories while completing an alumni form.
The first 100 alumni will receive a free cookie to decorate as well as entered into a drawing to receive an ornament designed especially for the event.
Easter Seals provides exceptional services to ensure all people with disabilities or special needs and their families have equal opportunities to live, learn, work and play in their communities.
Easter Seals has been serving special needs children, youth and adults for more than 60 years, providing more than 400,000 hours of direct service annually to individuals and families across the state.
For more information, visit the Easter Seals Web site at www.eastersealshawaii.org, or call Easter Seals Kauai at 245-7141.
