Happy Camper for Sunday, December 6, 2020

Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Lexi Jones is ready to interview Bella Ziest and Emilia Knudsen on the taste of a ulu-based cookie that’s been sold to raise funds for children presents for keiki participating in the Keiki Christmas event at the Kapa‘a Community Food Pantry at the Kaua‘i Store.
Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island

Mana Kelekoma, Linda Kelekoma and Jasmine Kelekoma get their photo taken with Elizabeth Freeman preparing Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Santa Bubble Friday during the Festival of Lights at the Historic County Building on Rice Street in Lihu‘e.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Elizabeth Freeman, the founder of the Festival of Lights 24 years ago, peers over Mrs. Claus and Santa Friday night when the Santa Bubble allows keiki a socially-distanced visit at the Festival of Lights at the Historic County Building on Rice Street in Lihu‘e..
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Grandpa Chad Briggs, dressed in the Santa-look-a-like outfit, is surrounded by his grandchildren Aggie, Babs and Levi “the shy one” while greeting cars curbside Friday at the Texaco gas station on Rice Street during the reverse virtual Lights on Rice parade.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Sharron Weber didn’t have a float Friday, but instead had dinner with Jim Guerber and Larry Feinstein (and Carol Pratt, Kathy Richardson and David Pratt) at The Kaua‘i Beer Company on Rice Street during the reverse virtual Lights on Rice holiday lights parade.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Jim Benkert of eBikes (is Bikes on Rice coming up Tuesday?), right, rode a bike to meet up with Kim and Jeff Adams of Ha Coffee (they’re at The Kaua‘i Beer Company now) Friday while waiting on the judges with Jessica Geffert during the reverse virtual Lights on Rice holiday lights parade Friday.

Lee Steinmetz and Bev Brody would’ve been in a chicken-skin state Friday night (“You want adorable?” asked Linda Kelekoma as she took out her Christmas-tree jacket she got on a trip to Disneyland; nope, not this year) when several hundred people took to the sidewalks on Rice Street from the Historic County Building to Kalena Park (“We live close by so we brought the family out to see the lights,” said Jade Wai‘ale‘ale Battad).

Lori Benkert (yep, this was another Zonta Club of Kaua‘i event that didn’t happen) had the right idea as she parked outside her Waioli Properties office (remember when City Liquor used to give cold sodas to those pre-parade street cleaners?) to view the pedestrian parade somewhat socially distanced (even had wheelchairs) while husband Jim Benkert rode his ebicycle up and down the street, passing out candies and wristbands before the musical groups that sprouted outside the Lihu‘e Missionary Church and Island Comfort air conditioning.

More holiday doings as Bella Zietz met up with Emilia Knudsen to launch a line of cookies using ulu, kalo or banana flours to raise funds needed to purchase presents for keiki participating in the Keiki Christmas coming up Monday, Dec. 21, at the Kapa‘a Community Food Pantry at The Kaua‘i Store. They’ll have orders and cookies Monday at the Pau Hana Market at Kukui Grove Center with Lourdes Torres and the Sustainable Boost booth. Check it out. They taste as good as they smell. Must be the Michael Sterioff touch from Passion Bakery.

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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.

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