NEWS RELEASE

                Public Communications Division
                            Department of Customer Services
                            City & County of Honolulu
                            523-4385

                                                                                                                      

THOUSANDS OF LEIS NEEDED FOR MEMORIAL DAY

The City is asking the public to donate 50,000 flower leis to decorate veterans’ grave sites on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27. 

The flower leis, or blossoms which can be strung into leis, are for the Mayor’s Memorial Day Ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and other veterans cemeteries throughout Hawaii. 

Donations of leis have dropped in recent years, making  it difficult for event organizers to decorate the growing number grave sites at veterans cemeteries.  Each year, thousands of school children and senior citizens create leis from donated blossoms days prior to the holiday observance  The completed leis are transported to the cemeteries by volunteers and placed on the graves by the Boy Scouts. 

Individual lei-makers are urged to support the community effort by contributing leis measuring 20 to 24 inches in length from one end to the other.  The leis must be tied when they are turned in. Elderly and physically-challenged owners of flowering trees should call for harvesting assistance. 

Leis may be dropped off on Friday, May 24, at the following locations and times: 

Community Parks – 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Ala Wai Community Park, Halawa District Park, Makua Alii Senior Center, Waianae District Park, Wahiawa District Park, Waiau District Park, Waipahu District Park and

Kaneohe Community and Senior Center.

Fire Stations – 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

            #6 Kalihi, #12 Waipahu, #14 Waialua, #17 Kaneohe, #18 Kailua and #34 Hawaii Kai

            650 South King Street, Department of Parks and Recreation, Permit Section, Ground Floor.

 

For more information, contact:  Ann Niino at 523-4527

 

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