If you’re lucky, there’s someone in your life who always comes up with a perfect gift–and often it’s an item that’s not even on your radar.

We sometimes feel that way at PBS Hawaii, with people helping us in ways that we don’t expect.

There are especially thoughtful people on Neighbor Islands. We send our “free” broadcast signals farther than those of any commercial TV station to reach more people, and Neighbor Islanders reach back.

Here are two recent examples, beginning with Kauai woodworker Dean Mayer:

—“I made a lot of sawdust, that’s how I made it.”

Dean is humbly explaining how he crafted a beautiful, rich-grained lobby desk for PBS Hawaii’s future home. It’s in his Omao workshop, ready to be shipped to Honolulu.

Kauai woodworker Dean Mayer created this reception desk for PBS Hawaii’s future lobby.

The wood is from a large monkey pod tree that had to be cut down because its growth was threatening the safety of a home on the Koloa property of his friend, Dan Suga.

Dean says he was moved to make the desk because he enjoys PBS Hawaii programming.

Everyone who enters our future home will see Dean’s creation as soon as they open the door. We hope you’ll come and visit.

—“Everyone loved seeing Downton Abbey on the big screen.”

That’s Susan Bendon of Spreckelsville, Maui, talking about a “pop-up” screening she gamely pulled off with little notice. Taking time out from the busy holiday season, a group of Maui residents watched the highly anticipated premiere of Downton Abbey’s fi nal season more than a week before television viewers were able to see it. Susan, a PBS Hawaii Board Member, enlisted Seabury Hall’s Lynn Matayoshi and they presented the episode in the school’s comfortable auditorium.

Top Left: On Maui, PBS supporter Ann Jones and PBS Hawaii Board Member Susan Bendon, greet guests at an advance screening of Downton Abbey at Seabury Hall. Top-right: Maui Magazine publisher Diane Haynes Woodburn at the Downton Abbey advance screening.

In Honolulu, we worked with Ward Consolidated Theatres to give an advance screening for fans.

“PBS made many friends,” Susan said. See what I mean? With Lynn, Susan made it happen.

With Dan Suga’s tree, Dean made it happen. We are lucky indeed.

Aloha a hui hou,