TV special is inspirational story

A Thanksgiving television special recounts a Maui family’s struggle to cope with the death of a son, and the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel employees who spent months laboring to build a 32-foot canoe in his honor.

Emme’s Island Moments Thanksgiving special, "Ka’ilila’au’s Canoe: A Journey of Spirit," will air on KGMB at 7 p.m. Nov. 25 and rebroadcast at 6 p.m. Nov. 27.

The story follows the hotel employees’ efforts to find and carve a four-man canoe from a 100-foot tree found in Honokohau Valley near the home of Kimo and Leimaile Lindsey. "The Lindseys agreed to donate the tree with the simple request that the canoe be named after their oldest child, Ka’ilila’au, who died in an accident seven years ago at the age of 11," according to a release.

The hotel workers cut down the tree and built the canoe in four months with the help of master canoe builder Charlie Nolan. The Ka’ilila’au was first launched in March and took Ka’ilila’au’s ashes out to sea this summer for burial. The canoe is now used as an educational vessel for employees and visitors at the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel.

Party strolls into Kailua on Big Isle

Kailua-Kona » The Kokua Kailua Village Stroll and Concert will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Historic Kailua Village will become a pedestrians-only walkway with plenty of shopping opportunities and a free concert at 4 p.m. on the lawn at Hulihee Palace. Concertgoers can bring their own mats or chairs and have them checked while they shop or dine before the music begins.

The monthly event is sponsored by Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, Destination Kona Coast, Kailua Village Merchants Association, Kailua Village Business Improvement District, Hulihee Palace and Pacific Radio Group.