Memorial Day Celebration
Lei Making for Memorial Day
Saturday, May 23, 2026
WFWP-HI sisters and AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary members Yuriko Harding, Doris Edwards, Marie Francoise Mitchell, and Sharon Beasley Teague participated in the 75th Mayor’s Memorial Day “Sew a Lei for Memorial Day” event on Saturday, May 23, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the Kapilina Beach Homes Community Center.
Kapilina was one of 16 sites across Oʻahu where volunteers sewed more than 38,000 lei to honor veterans by placing a lei on every grave at the island’s veteran cemeteries. The event was filled with joy, laughter, and aloha, accompanied by music from the Kapilina Serenaders and renowned ʻukulele artists Bryan Tolentino and Herb Ohta Jr.
Approximately 70 to 80 people attended, including members of the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary, the WFWP-HI Chapter, the Lion’s Club, the West Oʻahu Pilot Club, Gold Star families, and local residents. Such was the enthusiasm for the event that lei makers eventually ran out of plumeria blossoms.
As Mother Moon said, “History is calling for reconciliation, compassion, love, service, and sacrifice. Today’s problems cannot be solved by the logic of power... Our present problems can be solved only by the logic of love.”
By participating in community events such as this, WFWP-HI builds meaningful relationships with other organizations and creates opportunities for future collaboration. These activities reflect a deep spirit of love and service as we join others in honoring veterans who gave their lives for our country and the freedoms we enjoy today. In this way, WFWP-HI takes another step toward building a world of peace through the “logic of love.”
Memorial Day Ceremony
Monday, May 25, 2026
On Monday, May 25, 2026, WFWP-HI and AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary members Yuriko Harding and Marie Francoise Mitchell attended the 75th Mayor’s Memorial Day Ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Pūowaina.
As part of the observance, Scouts from Hawaiʻi placed flower lei and American flags at each gravestone, paying tribute to the men and women who served our nation. Memorial Day remarks were delivered by Mayor Rick Blangiardi, and the keynote address was given by William Spencer, Regional Administrator for the Pacific Region of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The ceremony included an oli, wreath presentations, a 21-gun salute, the sounding of Taps, a military aircraft flyover, and musical performances by the Royal Hawaiian Band and Sounds of Aloha. Hula was performed by members of the 97th Lei Court, adding a uniquely Hawaiian expression of remembrance and respect.
The ceremony provided an opportunity for the community to honor the sacrifices of our nation’s veterans and to express gratitude for their service. Through participation in events such as this, WFWP-HI joins with others in preserving the spirit of remembrance and strengthening our commitment to peace, service, and community.
