Lilies for Abilities – a benefit for Easter Seals Hawai‘i

By Wendy Osher

Pictured L to R: Back Row - Howard Takishita, Owner, Howard’s Nurseries; Rowland Lee, Manager, Regional Operations Maui, Young Brothers and Front Row - Easter Seals Hawaii Participants in Adult Day Health Program– Roxanne Higa and Kyle Moniz; and Edna Savinger Adult Day Health Program Assistant. Courtesy photo.

Locally-grown Easter Lily plants will be on sale at all Foodland and Sack ‘N Save stores Statewide, April 13 through April 24, as part of Lilies for Abilities – a statewide benefit for Easter Seals Hawai‘i.

The Easter lily plants are specially cultivated and grown on the Howard’s Nurseries farm in Kula, Maui. Young Brothers, Ltd. donates inter-island transportation services and the plants are then distributed and sold at all Foodland and Sack N Save supermarkets throughout the State.

A portion of each Easter Lily plant sold will be donated to Easter Seals Hawai‘i. Funds raised stay in Hawai’i to benefit the 26 programs and services for children and adults with disabilities on Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Lana’i, Moloka’i and the Big Island.

At 3 years old, Howard Takishita, the owner and grower at Howard’s Nurseries, was one of the first polio children at Easter Seals Maui to benefit from the center’s rehabilitation services.  Takishita said he participates in the annual benefit as a way to thank Easter Seals and support their work to help other children with disabilities.

He described this year’s Lily plants as exceptional saying, “The quality of the Easter lily plant is determined by the number of flower buds on the stem.  Standard Easter lilies have an average of 3 or 4 buds, but the Easter lilies we’re sending to Foodland will have an average of 6 or more buds,” said Takishita.

“We are truly grateful for Howard’s Nurseries, Young Brothers and Foodland’s enormous generosity and creativity in sponsoring this wonderful Easter Lily fundraising promotion each year,” said John Howell, President and CEO of Easter Seals Hawai‘i. “It is a win-win for everyone in the community,” he said.

*** Supporting information courtesy Easter Seals Hawai’i.