PO‘IPU — Christina Rexrode of The Associated Press, New York bureau, had just finished the Rotary Club of Kaua‘i’s Old Koloa Sugar Mill Run Saturday when she and extended her trip to the Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort to take in the
PO‘IPU — Christina Rexrode of The Associated Press, New York bureau, had just finished the Rotary Club of Kaua‘i’s Old Koloa Sugar Mill Run Saturday when she and extended her trip to the Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort to take in the craft fair.
Rexrode was visiting her parents who live in Princeville. Because of the distance to the run, she decided to make a day of it, stopping off to browse through the more than 30 vendors at the annual craft fair.
“We’re just happy to be able to show off our renovated Ocean Wing,” said Annette Wong, Sheraton Kaua‘i executive assistant and president of Starwish, the Sheraton’s employee group. “The craft fair proceeds benefit the Starwish program which supports both the Kaua‘i United Way and the Visitor Industry Charity Walk.”
The craft fair comes the day following a presentation to the Kaua‘i United Way where Starwish was joined by Chip Bahouth, the Sheraton general manager, and the crew from RumFire in presenting more than $5,000, representing food and beverage orders from Table 53 in the RumFire.
Debbie Yanagihara, the craft fair coordinator, said the event drew from crafters and vendors of Kaua‘i-made products. Each vendor had to go through a jury process before taking a table along the Ocean Wing.
“This is a lot better than before when we were on the Mauka Wing,” Wong said. “We were busy from the time we opened, and when the rains came, it only served to get people inside where they were browsing through the offerings. We’re waiting on the rain to end so the dancers can do their number.”
Helping Yanagihara with loose ends was her daughter Renee, who got started when she was in the fourth grade with wrist bracelets and who was now settling in with a cup of Starbucks from the new cafe in the Ocean Wing.
“She’s almost sold out,” Yanagihara said of Renee’s bikini offerings. “We had a couple more we could have put out, but ran out of time.”
The Sheraton craft fair was one of several taking place on the island, the others being at the St. Michael and All Angels Church in Lihu‘e benefiting its Loaves and Fishes pantry program, the Seniors Food and Craft Fair at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall, the Grove Farm Community Swap Meet at the Puhi Park and a craft fair at Princeville.
