Help Kaiola Canoe Club Replace Canoes Lost to Hurricane Lowell

Hurricane Lowell recently hit Kauai, and Kaiola Canoe Club’s hale at Niumalu took a direct hit from the powerful winds and storm surge.

We lost half of our hale roof, our doors, and portions of the structure. Thankfully, the damage to our hale is covered by insurance.

Unfortunately, our canoes were not.

The storm destroyed 18 V-1 canoes and several OC-1 canoes—equipment that is an important part of our club and our paddling programs.

Our V-1 canoes were originally purchased through grant funding for our Na Opio youth paddling program. They have allowed us to introduce young paddlers to V-1 paddling, develop their skills and confidence on the water, and keep them involved in the sport throughout the year. These canoes are also used regularly by our adult paddlers for training and development.

For Kaiola, these canoes are more than equipment. They give our youth opportunities to learn responsibility, teamwork, respect for the ocean, and the traditions of outrigger canoe paddling that have been passed from generation to generation.

Replacing this many canoes at once is a tremendous expense for our club.

We are asking our friends, families, fellow paddlers, businesses, and the greater community for help. Our goal is to raise enough funds to replace the V-1 and OC-1 canoes that were lost so we can get our Na Opio and adult paddlers back on the water.

Every donation, no matter the amount, will help us rebuild. If you are unable to donate, sharing our fundraiser would mean just as much.

Kaiola Canoe Club has always been a place where people come together through paddling, friendship, culture, and community. With your support, we hope to recover from this loss and continue providing these opportunities for the next generation of paddlers.

Mahalo nui loa for supporting Kaiola Canoe Club and our Na Opio.