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Star-Bulletin Features


Friday, November 30, 2001



CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULETIN.COM
From left, Mark Alan Chai, Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa and Henry Kapono
hold Christmas trees that will be auctioned as part of the Festival of
Trees this weekend. Tagawa didn't bring his, so he's holding Honolulu
Symphony pops conductor Matt Catingub's tree.



Celebrities craft miniature
Christmas trees with
favorite themes


By Tim Ryan
tryan@starbulletin.com

Who says guys -- actors, artists, musicians, radio personalities, even the University of Hawaii football coach -- can't be sensitive?

A group of celebrities recently took the time to play homemakers, decorating 18-inch artificial Christmas trees as a way of reaching out to help the Queen's Medical Center's biggest annual fund-raiser.

Singer/songwriter Henry Kapono's unique "Rock and Roses" features a half-dozen illuminated guitars -- bought over the Internet -- and lots of teeny-weeny white silk roses with a strand of silver something or other encircling the piece and the top.

"It was a fun three hours to do this for a good cause and a chance to try something different," he said.

Artist Mark Chai's "Patriotic Surf Tree" tree has five red, white and blue cardboard surfers attached to 10-inch surfboards, all made from recycled materials that the Queen's Hospital worker found on the job. The surfers' hair sticks up in red and white strands -- also recycled material -- symbolizing the American flag.


On view

What: Queen's Medical Center's 47th annual Festival of Trees silent auction fund-raiser
When: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and tomorrow; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday; silent auction bids close at 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: Ward Warehouse, 2nd floor Kewalo and Kakaako rooms
Cost: $1 donation suggested; children 12 and under admitted free
Call: 547-4397


A small signs sits at the base saying "United We Surf."

Actor Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa's tree is a bit more conceptual, at least this afternoon. The actual tree was MIA but quite close to cerebral completion, Tagawa joked.

The Kauai-based actor who most recently appeared in "Pearl Harbor" and "Planet of the Apes" calls his design a "Revolutionary Christmas" with the tree topped by a tiny "Ape" helmet, dangling signed ornaments, autographed phone, and "Planet" trading cards.

And how did other notables decorate their 18-inch wonders?

>> June Jones' "Winning Warriors Holiday" has his tree topped with a wood Warrior logo, and cut-out wood jerseys with individual players' numbers and signatures, plus bows made from the athletes' shoelaces. (They were washed, we hope.)

>> Brickwood Galuteria and Frank B. Shaner's "Enduring Freedom: Remembering the Reasons for the Season" has red, silver and blue bells, and red, white and blue ribbon. A Hawaii-U.S.A decal attached to the base has the Pledge of Allegiance, while the top features American and Hawaii flags each protected by a bird of peace.

>> Michael W. Perry and Larry Price created "The Posse Stars Holiday," a tribute to the radio-listening citizen "Posse" that uses a network of cell phones and automobiles to protect Honolulu streets. The tree has more than 30 "Posse" embossed stars in the KSSK colors: red, white and black. The stars are interlaced with red berries, miniature white lights and red satin balls. A red garland encircles the entire tree.

Viewers can check out celebrity trees through Sunday at the Ward Warehouse second-floor conference rooms, and place a silent auction bid to take one of them home. There will also be sales of volunteer-decorated trees, handmade gifts and ornaments. Funds raised will go toward the purchase of a critical-care ventilator machine.

There will also be trees decorated by Peggy Chun, first lady Vicky Cayetano, Honolulu Pops conductor Matt Catingub, the Local Divas and KITV's Jill Kuramoto.


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