400+ native plantings at Keʻehi Lagoon honor 9/11 first responders

VIDEO NEWS RELEASE

UH Mānoa Civic and Community Engagement Program Specialist Liane Akana plantng maʻo hau hele.

In addition to the plantings, participants took part in cleaning the beachfront.

Volunteers planting pōhinahina.

Naupaka planted near the Moanalua Stream.

400+ native plantings at Keʻehi Lagoon honor 9/11 first responders

Link to video and photos (details below) NOTE: All images/video courtesy: DLNR https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/wgn4kkjkk07owhjch8cwl/AHoAjQqn0X_p_1LrvB0rjEw?rlkey=cyqwbe4gljygfle0a5qrgmsvf&st=l1buaxqh&dl=0

In remembrance of September 11, 2001, and in honor of the 441 first responders who lost their lives at Ground Zero, more than 100 volunteers from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Kapiʻolani Community College, Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), and the local community gathered on September 13, at Keʻehi Lagoon Memorial State Park 

Following a brief ceremony, volunteers fanned out across the park to plant 441 native species, including pōhinahina, naupaka kahakai, and maʻo hau hele (yellow hibiscus), each symbolizing one of the fallen first responders. The effort not only commemorated their heroism but also supported the spirit of 9/11 Day through acts of kindness and service in tribute to all those who lost their lives.  In addition to the plantings, participants took part in cleaning the beachfront, beautifying the park, and learning about the history of Keʻehi Lagoon.

“There is no better way to honor the brave first responders who gave their lives saving others than through service,” said UH Mānoa Office of Civic and Community Engagement Program Specialist Liane Akana. “By volunteering, we turn what was once a day of tragedy into a day of coming together to do good.”

The 9/11 Day of Service is a nationwide initiative that encourages Americans to dedicate time each September 11 to help others in need, rekindling the spirit of unity and compassion that brought the nation together in the days following the tragedy. 

The morning began with an opening program in the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Memorial Hall, where invited community leaders and partners addressed participants before the planting activities.

“DLNR’s Division of State Parks is honored to help pay tribute to the first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice on 9/11,” said DLNR Division of State Parks Interpretive Program Specialist Kekai Mar. “By working alongside UH Mānoa, our Division of Forestry and Wildlife, and dedicated community partners, we’re turning remembrance into action—planting in spaces that inspire reflection, peace, and unity.”

The gathering marked the first of two planting events. The second planting will take place on Saturday, September 20, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Diamond Head State Monument, where volunteers will continue the remembrance through planting, site beautification and learning about the cultural and environmental significance of the monument.

The 9/11 Day of Service events are made possible by a grant to UH Mānoa’s Office of Civic and Community Engagement from the Western Region Continuums of Service Consortium, LEAD California, and funded by the 9/11 Day.org and the Corporation for National and Community Service (AmeriCorps). Additional community partners for the events include the Keʻehi Memorial Organization, Pacific Historic Parks and Global Preservation Initiatives.

VIDEO: TRT: 6:03 NOTE: All images/video courtesy: DLNR 

BROLL: 00:00-04:37

Broll of volunteer activities - planting, cleaning shoreline, assembling Little Fire Ant kits

SOUNDBITES:

Liane Akana, UH Mānoa education specialist (:23)

"The message that we want to send students is that tragedies will happen from time to time, and if you come together and do good, then you can change the world. And it doesn't have to always be something that you are sad about and that you can't be helpless. You can help and make it better, make the world a better place."

Denise Pierson, Kapiʻolani CC civic and community engagement coordinator (:32)

"I think it affected everybody in different ways, and how we deal with that can can really affect your well being, and so that's why we're trying to do this, is to help people get through that. Maybe they're still suffering from it. It's been years, but a lot of people have long term effects from things like this, and so if we can get them to look at it, not as a, you know, a negative thing in their life, but let's do something positive around that, so maybe it'll change their attitude about it.”

Kekai Mar, DLNR Division of State Parks (:28)

"So with state parks hosting 9/11 events such as today's event, it really helps to commemorate our Hawaiian values, our values of Aloha, to really bring people together and show love to this space show love to those victims who fall into the 911 attack, as we're putting in plants to honor each of those victims. And I think also to just express our fundamental values, our Hawaiian values, another one, such as Lokahi, which is really showing unity and harmony.