This EKK season, on each evening, volunteers displayed a koa ukulele donated by Kaua‘i Music and Sound. The volunteers encouraged all to purchase tickets for a drawing to take place on closing night. As the season moved forward, each week, the presenters added their signatures to the ukulele, making it a true collector’s item. On the final night, volunteer Lynn McNutt drew the winning ticket, and to everyone’s surprise, the winner was from Worcestershire, England.

Volunteer Jodi Ascuena, also British by birth, called the winner, Lynne Box, to alert her. Box replied by email with the following message, edited for space considerations.

Aloha Jodi,

Mahalo so much for phoning me today with such wonderful news. I would like to let you all know that the ukulele is going to a really good home. My husband has been playing ukulele for just over two years now and belongs to two clubs here in Worcestershire. Our holiday to Hawaii came as a result him joking that he wanted to buy a ukulele made in Hawaii from koa.

The concert that we attended was one of the highlights of our holiday. We were made to feel so welcome and really enjoyed it. When I bought the tickets I did not dream that I had a chance of winning. 

We had a wonderful holiday in Hawai‘i and this makes it even better. Mahalo once again for the good news.

Best wishes,

Lynne Box