Graduates asked to
donate lei for graves

To help meet the yearly need for 58,000 lei to put on veterans' graves for Memorial Day services, Mid-Pacific Institute's graduating class of 2005 is donating the lei it receives.

High school graduates traditionally receive thousands of lei at their ceremonies every year.

The city Department of Parks and Recreation is encouraging other Oahu schools with commencement ceremonies on the days before the Memorial Day services on Monday to donate their lei.

The Parks Department, which is coordinating the veterans' services, will accept lei from schools Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the office of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl, and on Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon outside the cemetery's main entrance.

Schools should make arrangement to gather, store and deliver their lei.

The public's assistance is still needed for lei donations. For more information about donating lei, call 692-5106.

Drop-off sites The public should drop off lei by Friday at these locations: » Community parks, 9 to 11:30 a.m. -- Ala Wai, Halawa District, Makua Alii Senior Center, Waianae District, Wahiawa District, Waiau District, Waipahu District, Kaneohe Community and Senior Center, Waikiki Community Center. » Fire stations, 6 a.m. to noon -- Kalihi, Waipahu, Waialua, Kaneohe, Kailua, Waimanalo and Hawaii Kai. » Department of Parks & Recreation Permit Section, 8 a.m. to noon -- Ground floor of the Honolulu Municipal Building, 650 S. King St. Rules for lei » All lei must be made of fresh flowers or ti leaves and measure 20 to 24 inches before tying. Lei must be tied. Floral sprays such as ti leaf and anthurium bouquets are also welcome. » Loose plumeria flowers will also be accepted Thursday at designated community parks and fire stations on Oahu, the Parks Permit Office in Honolulu, and at Kapolei Hale, Room 309.