LIHUE — The inclement weather was not good for outdoor activities, but great for encouraging people to Shop Small. “The bad thing about the weather is all the kids are home for Thanksgiving, and you can’t do anything,” said Wendall
LIHUE — The inclement weather was not good for outdoor activities, but great for encouraging people to Shop Small.
“The bad thing about the weather is all the kids are home for Thanksgiving, and you can’t do anything,” said Wendall Kam who was taking in the 34th annual Kauai Handworks craft fair at the Elsie Wilcox Elementary School cafeteria. “But my wife like this kind of things, so I guess the rain is good. We’ll probably do the senior food and craft show, too.”
Eve Solomon, a Kauai Handworks vendor, agreed the weather is good for shopping.
“I had a partner who kept saying we had to do this,” Solomon said. “The weather was not looking too promising, but he kept saying we’re going to do it. I’ve been here since 1989 and it’s hard to give up the space.”
In addition to inclement weather, Saturday is recognized as Shop Small day, when people are encouraged to patronize small locally-owned businesses and dine at mom-and-pop locally owned restaurants.
“Small businesses are the backbone to our economy, operated by families we know, give back to the community in a big way, and Small Business Saturday is a great opportunity to show them our support,” said U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard in a release.
Carol Yotsuda of the Garden Island Arts Council said Melani Nagao and Guy Kudo were the two people who got the first Kauai Handworks off the ground. Their first event had 20 vendors.
Michelle Rapozo said you had to be invited to participate in the Kauai Handworks fair.
“This is the only craft fair I do,” Rapozo said. “I’ve been doing craft fairs for 20 years, but now with three jobs, I can only do one fair for the holiday season.”
Jennifer Ortal, teaming with Ronda Fernandez, worked with young keiki in creating holiday items using fresh produce, flowers, and coconut fronds.
“It’s not hard to decorate using all the beauty which is around us,” Ortal said, turning a rambotan into a tree ornament, garnished with a candy cane. “We’re also making ti leaf bracelets for the youngsters with plumeria.”
Melanie Okamoto of the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation said this year she sent several people to Honolulu to learn new crafts and projects. These people, in turn, were sent to the individual senior centers where they taught what they learned to the kupuna.
“We have to keep trying to find new things for people to do,” Okamoto said. “We don’t want anyone getting bored.”
