By Dean Fujita P’24 ’27 ’32, Carnival Arts and Crafts Booth Parent Co-chair
Carnival 2023 is still several months away, but like any race, there is much that goes on ahead of time to prepare. A small group of students and parents have been engaging their right-side brain (the creative side), rolling up their sleeves, and getting to work!
The Punahou Carnival Arts and Crafts booth has been working diligently throughout the summer and into the fall months creating and crafting products to sell at the Holiday Sale on Dec. 2. Some of these products, recently put on sale during the Flaming “P”, were eagerly snatched up by students, faculty and parents. Buff and blue bracelets and scrunchies quickly sold out (not to worry, more are being made for Dec. 2!) and there was great demand for other crafts such as key rings, lanyards and buttons.
In any automotive racing event there is qualifying that happens prior to the big race. The Punahou Holiday Sale paves the way for the Carnival. At the Holiday Sale, one can get coveted jams and jellies (mmm, mango chutney) without waiting until February, unique holiday gifts, and Carnival-themed crafts for those who want to get a head start on Carnival swag.
The Arts and Crafts booth consists of five student co-chairs (Emma Fujitani ’24, Adam Gerhardt ’24, Meigan Li ’24, Haiyi Sun ’24 and Anika Wida ’24), three junior parent chairs (Dean Fujita, Leigh-Ann Iha and Tammy Nochi), and three sophomore parent co-chairs (Dana Funai, Ruoyun Sun and Halida Tuerxun).
Anika decided on becoming a booth co-chair, “because it combines a ton of my favorite things: arts and crafts, working with friends, and giving back and being involved with the Punahou Carnival.”
Most junior students are busy with many extracurricular activities and Meigan acknowledges that, “The biggest challenge is finding time on weekends to help out at the craft workshops.”
As with any worthwhile challenge, there are rewards and Emma states, “The greatest reward has been spending time at our crafting sessions. We enjoy each other’s company.”
Like the students, I volunteer as a parent because I want to contribute to the Carnival effort. I volunteer for other PFA events and really value meeting and getting to know other Punahou parents, but volunteering for Carnival also allows me to interact and work with students, many of them classmates and friends of my child. This makes it a very unique opportunity for a parent.
With the finish line in sight, the Arts and Crafts booth extends a big mahalo to the numerous student and parent volunteers who have contributed so much time and energy.
We hope to see you all at the Holiday Sale on Dec. 2.
