Dedicated volunteers make the holidays brighter

During the holiday season, drivers heading east on the H-1 Freeway past the Koko Head cutoff can see the Puu O Kaimuki Park Christmas tree twinkling colorfully in the night skies. It’s a sight that draws gasps of delight and inspires feelings of joy and hope.

But here’s something you may not know … the annual tradition is a testament to the dedication of a group of volunteers from Hawaiian Electric and the IBEW Local 1260 who devote their time and skill year after year to make the holidays brighter for the community.

“I grew up most of my life in Kaimuki and never really noticed the metal Christmas tree above the 12th Avenue fire station until I started working at Hawaiian Electric,” said Jason Rodrigues, who joined the company as a junior apprentice and is today a training supervisor.

Serving as a volunteer was part of the company’s culture, so Jason found himself helping to string lights for the Kaimuki Christmas tree about 20 years ago and has been a part of it ever since.

“My favorite part of the whole experience is being able to catch up with my classmates and coworkers and reminisce about the good ‘ole days when we all worked together on the “line,” smiled Jason, referring to his time as a lineman.

“We’ve been able to bring our families with us so they can learn the process of taking down the old string of lights and putting up the new strings. My son looks forward to redoing the Christmas lights every year and I’m glad he gets to experience what it is to give back and do something good for the community.”

Troubleman and volunteer Landon “Liko” Satele added, “Every year, our family looks forward to the Kaimuki Christmas tree lights. It’s become something special for us. My kids still get excited when they spot the Christmas tree glowing, even if we’re just driving by on the highway. They smile knowing they helped to put those lights up, and it’s a little piece of Christmas that we get to share with everyone.”

In recent years, crews must repair and string the Christmas lights using only ladders as tools since they’re restricted from driving the utility bucket trucks into the park. Because some of the higher places on the tree are harder to reach by ladders, crews may not necessarily be able to replace or string them with new lights, leaving those areas unfortunately bare. Efforts to improve the park infrastructure have been made by the grassroots Keep It Kaimuki organization.

Since 2017, Keep It Kaimuki has partnered with Hawaiian Electric and IBEW Local 1260 to prioritize the Christmas tree lighting community tradition. Keep It Kaimuki was founded by Jordan Lee, owner of The Public Pet, with a focus to preserve and promote the unique locally owned businesses in Kaimuki.

“Jordan and I are truly grateful for the partnership with Todd Mayeshiro who started this effort and the Hawaiian Electric and IBEW Local 1260 volunteers who come together every year to light the iconic Puu O Kaimuki Park Christmas tree,” said Summer Shiige, owner of Ten Tomorrow / Daily Whisk Matcha and Keep It Kaimuki member.

“Having the tree lit as the culmination of the annual Keep It Kaimuki Saturday event not only signifies the official start to the holidays, but it’s a symbol of our thanks to this neighborhood, community and partners who’ve come together to support us. A lot of hard work and dedication goes into this project that most people will never know but it warms all of our hearts to see everyone, near and far, come and enjoy the tree.”

Keep It Kaimuki Saturday will be held on Nov. 29, 2025, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the Kaimuki business district. The Puu O Kaimuki Park Christmas tree lighting ceremony will be live streamed on Instagram starting at 6 p.m. until sundown on @keepitkaimuki and @hawaiianelectric.