Dilemma of the 24 Missing Trees at the Fifth Grade Christmas Tree & Wreath Fundraiser

By Anthony Kaauamo with contributions from Sharmaine “Silveress” Elan

Wednesday, November 22, 2023 — the overcast sky hinted at the arrival of the Makahiki season, ushering in a period of rainy days, saturated grounds and the promise of harvest. The grassy corner of Fifth Street and Fraser Avenue, just outside the Lanai High & Elementary School (LHES) campus, was bustling with activity among rows of freshly cut Douglas and Noble fir trees, tightly bound in twine, and a display of wreaths adorned with velvet red ribbons. Fifth graders, their parents, school staff and high school volunteers dotted the area. Safety cones were placed throughout, guiding the flow of foot traffic and outlining the pickup zones.

Weaving their way through the line were LHES student journalist, Sharmaine “Silveress” Elan, and LHES middle school counselor, Yvonne Urbas-Leboeuf. “The scent is so amazing. Like, you know, the evergreen’s really nice.”

Yvonne’s mention of the scent, a recurring theme in the day’s interviews, prompted Sharmaine to probe further into the event’s emotional resonance. “How do you feel about picking up your tree order?” she asked.

“I think it’s a tradition. I love it. It makes me happy.” Just then, a young girl dashed toward Yvonne, wrapping her in an enthusiastic embrace. “Like this right here, it’s just connecting with people. I love it.” She conversed with the girl, sharing the joy of her tree pickup and wreath she was about to collect. “Alright, my dear, thanks for the hug. You made my day.”

For the second consecutive year, Jennifer Montgomery, LHES’ fifth-grade teacher, has led the fundraiser, a role she inherited from Kerri Glickstein, LHES’ former band teacher. This event supports the fifth graders’ end-of-year celebration, marking the conclusion of their elementary school years and fostering a sense of accomplishment as they prepare to embark on their journey to middle school. Last year’s celebration included a day of fun and activities at the Lanai Adventure Park, a catered lunch and an awards ceremony.

Under the instruction of Jennifer and Giovanne Apostol, the fifth grade’s 36 students sold a total of 176 tree and 346 wreath tickets throughout September. However, the fundraiser faced a challenge when its vendor, Holiday Tree Farms in Corvallis, Oregon, failed to deliver 24 of the ordered trees. They notified Jennifer only after their cargo truck carrying the rest of the order had departed, leaving no time for immediate rectification. This issue was particularly distressing as it was not the first occurrence of such a problem.

“This is the second year in a row that they’ve done this,” Jennifer said. “We used them last year, and the same unfortunate thing happened.” Last year, Holiday Tree Farms miscalculated their container’s capacity, resulting in about 20 trees being left unshipped. Given that tree sales this year were at least 50 trees fewer than the previous year, Jennifer reasonably expected the order to comfortably fit into the container, which the vendor, after conducting an additional measurement, confirmed. 

“When they let me know that 24 trees didn’t fit and would not make it, I was nervous because they’re presold, and we can’t have 24 people just not get a Christmas tree,” Jennifer said.

With limited alternative options available, the event’s role as the primary source of fresh Christmas trees for island residents was pronounced. Jennifer Kaiakala, assisting at the fundraiser, highlighted this unique aspect, “If we didn’t have this event then I think there would be less fresh trees in the homes. This is the only way that fresh trees come to Lanai. There are no other trees for sale.”

Shirley Samonte, volunteering at the event to support her fifth grade grandson, said, “We don’t have the means to go and buy Christmas trees here, so we would have to go off-island. I think it would be difficult, and many would be left without trees.”

Gabby Ozoa, while picking up wreaths she ordered, echoed this sentiment, “I don’t think people would have trees without this event. And so I think if this ever stopped, I don’t know. I don’t know what people would do.”

Yvonne said, “I did know of somebody once going in the woods and chopping a tree down. I was like, is that legal?”

Upon informing those who had pre-ordered trees about the potential delay due to the vendor’s shortfall, a wave of understanding and support was expressed to Jennifer and the fifth grade class over social media.

“Please keep the money as a donation, don’t need the tree. Thank you for all your hard work.”

“Thank you for your tireless work for our community! We appreciate it so much! We can also wait for our tree, and are willing to help pay the extra.” 

“We can wait too, or whatever the outcome is we are fine, but the funds should stay with the fifth grade class. Thanks for all your hard work, we appreciate all your efforts.” 

To redress the shortfall in the tree shipment, Jennifer reached out to Joelle Aoki, the government affairs officer and Lanai station manager at Kamaka Air, the inter-island cargo carrier, for help. Joelle facilitated an arrangement with Kamaka Air to fly the required trees from Oahu to Lanai at no cost. During the same time, Susu Woolsey, who is also affectionately known as “Mama Susu,” located and secured the necessary 24 trees from Home Depot on Oahu. Displaying a “clutch” performance, the collaborative efforts of Joelle, Kamaka Air and Mama Susu ensured that all customers received their pre-sold trees on Lanai.

“We were super thankful to not only Kamaka Air, Joelle and Susu, but also for the community’s support and understanding throughout the whole process,” Jennifer said.

With the last Christmas tree and wreath orders collected, like the end of a harvest, the grassy corner of Fifth Street and Fraser Avenue lay fallow, leaving behind only the large white Matson shipping container on its trailer, door ajar, dark and empty of its contents.