By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward Bureau
KAILUA — An outpouring of community support has resulted in thousands of dollars in plants given or promised to Keolu Elementary School, where vandals hacked seven palm trees and chopped numerous other plants two weeks ago.
The response has been tremendous, said principal Linda Kishimoto, adding that she has received numerous calls from people offering help.
"We’re so touched by the generosity of so many strangers," she said.
There’s also hope that the community’s support and the new plants offer larger lessons for the children: that most people are good and that plants are important.
On Feb. 9, three males and one female whacked the tops off seven palm trees, numerous ti plants and other trees and bushes, police said. New wires for the school’s communications and computer network were also slashed.
After inspecting the school grounds, the owners of Gallery and Garden in Kahalu‘u delivered 40 hybrid ti plants, two satin trees, 20 Queen Emma lilies, several tree gardenia and a lignum vitae, a small, slow-growing tree.
Daisy Holzman and her husband, Bryan Carter, said they read an account of the incident and decided to donate the plants.
"It’s such an upsetting thing for children," Holzman said. "We wanted them to see the other side, that most of us are all for the kids."
They gave enough ti plants so each first-grader would have a plant to care for learn respect for the plant, she said.
Jim Andrews of The Landscape Works in Waimanalo has promised six Manila palms to replace the ones that lined the walkway of the school office building. He will be giving $4,825 in plants and $800 in labor, Kishimoto said.
He also wants to help the children learn more about plant propagation, caring for plants and their importance to people.
"We’ll get the kids to participate and hopefully learn stewardship," he said.
First Hawaiian Bank offered prizes for a science fair next month, said Kishimoto. The bank also gave calculators, coolers and bags.
The generosity of people in the community has lifted the spirits of the children, teachers and staff, she said.
"The kids are feeling much better," Kishimoto said. "They’re very happy that the community responded and rallied to their support."
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