The city hopes students graduating this weekend will help make sure that there are enough leis to adorn the graves of veterans on Memorial Day.

Officials are concerned that the annual lei drive will fall short of the 50,000 needed to make sure that every veteran's grave has a lei.

This year, public schools let out before Memorial Day, and schools are one of the main sources of donated leis.

Richard Haru, deputy director of the city Department of Parks and Recreation, said they are contacting Project Graduation committees of Aiea, St. Louis and Sacred Hearts schools—all of which are holding ceremonies this weekend—and asking graduates to donate their extra floral leis.

Leis can still be dropped off at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific today and tomorrow.

Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts place the donated leis on the graves of veterans at Punchbowl, and the extra leis are distributed to the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery.

“;Only Hawaii has a ritual that has a floral tribute to every personnel in memory of their sacrifice,”; said Gene Castagnetti, director of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Castagnetti said the tradition gives students a valuable lesson that is lost when schools do not participate in the program.

Yesterday at Kailua District Park, volunteers expected to string or collect about 1,100 leis, several hundred fewer than last year when about 1,500 were donated.

Haru thinks there are fewer flowers available this year, perhaps because of the hot, dry weather.

“;Every year it's a challenge,”; he said, but he remained optimistic the goal will still be met. “;I think the spirit of everything, the light of what (Memorial Day) is about, people do pull through.”;