LIHU‘E — There won’t be a Josie Chansky display this holiday season inside the Historic County Building, but that doesn’t bother Elizabeth Freeman, chair of the Festival of Lights. Instead, six Kaua‘i High School Academy of Hospitality and Travel students
LIHU‘E — There won’t be a Josie Chansky display this holiday season inside the Historic County Building, but that doesn’t bother Elizabeth Freeman, chair of the Festival of Lights.
Instead, six Kaua‘i High School Academy of Hospitality and Travel students and two teachers will accompany 300 ornaments and a Christmas tree to Washington, D.C.
“The Festival of Lights has an extraordinary opportunity to do a special holiday tree with Aunty Josie-style ‘trash to treasure’ ornaments in Sen. Daniel Inouye’s office in Washington, D.C.,” Freeman said. “In addition to the tree in Sen. Inouye’s office, the students and teachers will present special ornaments to each of the United States senators.”
Freeman said the trip started several years ago when she brought the idea of turning discarded plastic water bottles into holiday decorations.
That was the spark that ignited the AOHT students’ drive and creativity. Freeman described the results as “absolutely fabulous.”
That spark turned into a flame as Cathy Murashige, AOHT director, said the students arranged to have workshops at the Sheraton Kaua‘i where they taught the resort’s guests how to create the decorations using recycled plastic water bottles.
Among the many admirers of the recycled art was a Mainland teacher who felt strongly that these unique ornaments should be seen in the nation’s Capitol as a way to inspire teachers and students around the country to utilize recycled plastic bottles as an art resource.
“We’re calling this Aloha Recycled Treasures,” Murashige said. “We’re still trying to figure out what to put on the tree top, and we’ll probably inscribe something about aloha on the ornaments being presented to the senators. We’ll also bring them something from Kaua‘i. This is all an evolution of a project.”
Freeman said the Festival of Lights found support from a lot of donors to help offset the costs of the D.C. trip, which will have the group leaving on Nov. 30 and decorating Inouye’s office Dec. 2-3.
But all of the attention won’t be in D.C. as Freeman said the lawn of the Historic County Building will be lit up as in previous years, and the Kaua‘i High School Japanese Club is working on a special tree for inside the Mayor’s Office.
“We won’t be able to have the display inside the Historic County Building because of the renovation work, but instead we will be using the county’s stage for the Festival of Lights opening ceremony on Dec. 3 from 6 to 6:30 p.m.,” Freeman said. “It will feature caroling by the Kaua‘i Chorale, a holiday greeting from Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., and the countdown being performed by Santa and Mrs. Claus.”
Unfortunately, because Santa’s chair was part of the display inside the building, Santa and Mrs. Claus will depart for the North Pole once the lights are turned on.
But as he leaves, the Lights on Rice parade will begin its march from Kalena Street, ending at the Historic County Building where many of the floats will be on display for people to admire and talk with the sponsors.
People requiring an ASL interpreter, materials in an alternate format, or other auxiliary aid support should call Freeman at 828-0014 at least seven days prior to Dec. 3.
