Happy Mother’s Day

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Rowena Serrao, left and Minda Calamayan of Kailua Kona Flower Market have tropical flower arrangements for mother’s day at Calamayan”s Kealakehe home. (Laura Ruminski/West Hawaii Today)
Tropical floral arrangements for Mother's Day are still available at Kailua Kona Flower Market. (Laura Ruminski/West Hawaii Today)
Tropical floral arrangements for Mother's Day are still available at Kailua Kona Flower Market. (Laura Ruminski/West Hawaii Today)
Calabe Patao gives his mom Leah a tropical flower arrangement from Kailua Kona Flower Market for Mother’s Day. See more on page 6A. (Laura Ruminski/West Hawaii Today)
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Kailua Kona Flower Market owner Minda Calamayan had been selling her tropical flowers at the Kona Farmers Market for 25 years when the Alii Drive location announced its closure in March.

Then came Gov. David Ige’s stay-at-home order amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Calamayan said she lost Easter business, but when Ige announced in late April that florists could provide delivery and pick up for Mother’s Day, she sprung into action.

The word spread through social media that she was taking orders for delivery and pick up at her Kealakaa Street home on Saturday, and loyal customers responded.

Along with her family, she picked up the fresh-cut Big Island flowers and began making arrangements Friday night.

“We had about 60 or 70 orders, but we are getting people just driving up, buying flowers for mom,” she said.

Calamayan said she will have her pop-up tent set up today for purchase of last-minute flowers.

“We will be here until the flowers run out,” she said.