LIHU‘E — Linda Pittman brought six lei and won six awards, four in the prestigious Sponsored Awards category, Saturday, at the Kaua‘i Museum May Day Lei Contest. She opened with a second place in the Red/Pink category and captured third
LIHU‘E — Linda Pittman brought six lei and won six awards, four in the prestigious Sponsored Awards category, Saturday, at the Kaua‘i Museum May Day Lei Contest.
She opened with a second place in the Red/Pink category and captured third in the Blue/Purple category before moving into the Sponsored Awards, capturing the Distinguished President’s Award, the County of Kaua‘i Office of the Mayor Award, the Family Flowers Farm Award and the Anne Punohu Award.
Madeline “KiniKohu” Guyett, also of Kilauea, came with two lei and topped the Red/Pink category before being announced the recipient of the Courtyard by Marriott at Coconut Beach Award.
Noelani Pomroy continued the legacy of Pomroy lei-making by getting four sponsored awards including the Irmalee A. Pomroy Award, the Walter Pomroy “Ka lei I ka Wekiu” Award, the Kaua‘i Mokihana Mali‘e Foundation “Most Hawaiian” Award and the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort and Beach Club “Lei which best Portrays Kaua‘i” Award.
Happy Tamanaha, hosting her Happy’s Lei Stand on the outside activity area, was named to three Sponsored Awards including the Prestigious Board of Trustees’ Award, the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa “Kapua I Ka Heke” Award and the Director’s Choice Award.
Kirby Guyer earned the Kaua‘i Museum’s 50th Anniversary Award, Leiola Kamalani Oliver was named the recipient of the Grace and Lyle Guslander “Aloha Spirit” Award, Jodi Gardner earned the Peace Award, Brandee Kahalekomo earned the Kaua‘i Beach Resort “Outstanding Lei Maker” Award, Christine Spatn earned the Sheraton Kaua‘i Award, Angela Olivas captured the St. Regis Princeville Resort Award and Betty Ihara earned the Kaua‘i Aloha Festival Award.
Elvrine Chow, topping the Blue/Purple category, also pocketed third place ribbons in the Pink/Red and Mixed Colors category after spending her morning at the Kaua‘i Community Market at the Kaua‘i Community College where she encouraged shoppers there to take in the May Day Lei Contest at the museum.
Guyer added to her Sponsored Award with second place wins in the Blue/Purple and White/Green categories.
Gardner added to her Peace Award with a third place in the White/Green category and Olivas pocketed a second place in the Ti Leaf category.
Troy Allen Hinano Lazaro topped the Ti Leaf and Hat categories and Nancy Fuertes Fuller, topping the Mixed Colors category, also earned a third place in the Hat category.
Nicolette Sahut topped the Plumeria category followed by Marina Pascua and Leiola Kamalani Oliver.
Janet Kahalekomo, the family’s kupuna, filled in the third spot in the Ti Leaf category.
Manny Rapozo of Kaua‘i’s Westside topped the Orange/Yellow category followed by Kawai‘ula Kobayashi and Emma Chidgey.
Other winners included Judy Pattee topping the White/Green category, Pat Finberg getting second place in the Mixed Colors and Beate Homm getting second place in the Hat categories.
The Kaua‘i Museum May Day Lei Contest showcases the talents of today’s lei makers while perpetuating the art form, its website states.
Recently, the conservation of native plants has become an area of concern, the museum honoring and respecting the native forests by encouraging its lei makers in growing and using flowers from their own gardens and not allowing endangered and wild plant materials to be used in lei entries.
Visit www.kauaimuseum.org for more information.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
