Sunday, May 8, 2022
Nathan Serota: (808) 768-3046
Help Sew a Lei for Memorial Day!
Ho‘omaika‘i (congratulations) to the winners of the Mayor’s Memorial Day Poster Contest
HAWAI‘I – Mayor Rick Blangiardi and the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) are pleased to announce the return of the Mayor’s Memorial Day Ceremony to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Pūowaina) on Monday, May 30, 2022 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
"With the tumultuous circumstances created by the pandemic and Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine, our appreciation for the sacrifices made by those who came before us demand commemoration now more than ever,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “I am humbled to return our Memorial Day Ceremony to Pūowaina, a beautiful location honoring those who gave their lives in defense of our democratic ideals. May this event serve as a reminder that our gratitude is due every day, as we continue to preserve and enhance the principles we hold to be righteous.”
More details concerning the 71st year of this event, and how the public can view the ceremony, will be announced later this month. In anticipation of the ceremony, DPR is beginning our statewide initiative to sew and gather some 38,000 lei to adorn each grave at Pūowaina for the ceremony in a uniquely Hawaiian display of gratitude.
To assist with the “Sew a Lei for Memorial Day” effort, DPR is organizing several lei-sewing opportunities and lei drop-off locations in the days leading up to Memorial Day. We also encourage anyone with flower trees, particularly plumeria, to donate their flowers at any of the May 27 lei-sewing sites during the below times.
Lei Sewing
DATE |
SITE |
PHONE |
TIME |
May 10, 2022 |
Foster Botanical Garden (Ti Leaf Lei) |
(808) 768-7139 |
10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. |
May 13 & 14, 2022 |
Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden (Ti Leaf Lei) |
(808) 233-7323 |
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
May 26, 2022 |
Kāneʻohe Senior Center (Adults Only) |
(808) 768-6847 |
10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. |
May 27, 2022 |
Kailua District Park |
(808) 768-6832 |
9 a.m. - 12 p.m. |
May 27, 2022 |
Kīlauea District Park |
(808) 768-6713 |
9 a.m. - 12 p.m. |
May 27, 2022 |
Makua Aliʻi Senior Center |
(808) 768-6893 |
9 a.m. - 12 p.m. |
May 27, 2022 |
Waiʻanae District Park |
(808) 696-5039 |
9 a.m. - 12 p.m. |
May 27, 2022 |
Waiau District Park |
(808) 768-6795 |
9 a.m. - 12 p.m. |
May 27, 2022 |
Waipahū District Park |
(808) 768-6798 |
9 a.m. - 12 p.m. |
May 27, 2022 |
Honolulu Hale |
(808) 768-7139 |
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
May 27, 2022 |
Kapolei Hale |
(808) 768-3003 |
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
Lei Drop-off
LOCATION |
TIME |
All Honolulu Fire Department Fire Stations |
Friday, May 27, 2022 from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. |
Federal Fire Stations: Headquarters at 650 Center Drive Pearl Harbor Ford Island Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i Schofield Barracks |
Friday, May 27, 2022 from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. |
Frank Fasi Municipal Building |
Friday, May 27, 2022 from 8 a.m. - 12 noon |
Ala Wai Community Park |
Friday, May 27, 2022 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
Kailua District Park |
Friday, May 27, 2022 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
Makiki District Park |
Friday, May 27, 2022 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
Makua Ali‘i Senior Center |
Friday, May 27, 2022 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
Waialua District Park |
Friday, May 27, 2022 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
Wai‘anae District Park |
Friday, May 27, 2022 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
Waipahū District Park |
Friday, May 27, 2022 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
Honolulu Hale |
Friday, May 27, 2022 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
Kapolei Hale |
Friday, May 27, 2022 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
Punchbowl / Pūowaina Cemetery |
Saturday, May 28, 2022 from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
Ho‘omaika‘i (congratulations) to the winners of this year’s Memorial Day Poster Contest! Each of the winners received a prize package with art supplies, with their excellent artwork featured on Memorial Day publications and posted on DPR’s dedicated Mayor’s Memorial Day Ceremony website bit.ly/MayorsMemorialDay
Following WWII, Pūowaina was designated the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific with the first Memorial Day Ceremony held within the crater in 1949. That humble ceremony inspired the City to make the solemn commitment of placing a fresh lei on every grave within Pūowaina for a Mayor’s Memorial Day Ceremony. Unfortunately since that time, the amount of graves has increased to the nearly 38,000 service members whose final resting place resides within the memorial cemetery; making the creation and placement of the lei a kākou, community effort.
—PAU—
Follow the Department of Parks and Recreation on social media:
YouTube:bit.ly/DPRyoutube Twitter:@honolulu_parks Instagram:@honolulu_parks Facebook:facebook.com/honolulu.parks Nextdoor: bit.ly/DPRnextdoor