Happy Camper for Wednesday, July 29, 2020

People were counting their blessings (how opportune, or inopportune, to have the gas prices increase on the day people jammed the gas stations ahead of the storm!), Monday after Hurricane Douglas passed north of Kaua‘i, late Sunday night into the wee hours of Monday morning when Jasmine Kaohelauli‘i’s “found puppy’s” owner came to claim the lost canine.

Jasmine (and her sister Jeni off Work It Out) is part of a three-generation business effort at Sole Mates said John Kaohelauli‘i (he has ‘Hammajang’ caps for sale along with fabric konani mats that clearly differentiates the different colored squares). Juliet said the third generation is still a thing of “pride and joy,” growing into the responsibility.

Sam Bodano is another multi-generational family business at Larry’s Music (we know the original Larry) where his dad, Joe (he said Sam calls him ‘Grandpa Joe’) Bodano started the Koloa ‘ukulele shop when they lived in Kalaheo, and son takes over the afternoon shift in Kapa‘a. Sam was missing the Koloa Plantation Days’ Ukes in Paradise at Keoki’s Paradise (they didn’t even go virtual on the event, this year) for this year…hope it comes back, in-person for next year.

In the meantime, it’s time for the Waimea High School grads to claim their Strings of Joy instruments, Friday when Maile Bryan and Tora Smart do the giveaway at the Waimea Theatre.

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Dennis Fujimoto can be reached at 245-0453 or at dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.