I am 17, and I grew up in Honokaa. Waipi’o is where my brother and I learned to swim, learned to respect the ocean, and learned about the spiritual and cultural aspects of the land. I think that for the youth of our community, the valley teaches us about ourselves and makes us better people. The kids of Honokaa are nurtured by the waters of Waipi’o and I feel that there is a large community of people who will suffer if the valley is restricted. I also feel that we can create a compromise to ensure that the Valley and the community is well cared for. Mahalo!

I am a preschool teacher at a local public charter school, and our keiki need access to these special places. Young children light up when they tell me about the times their ʻohana take them to the beach. It gives them connections to their heritage, stories of their ʻohana, and a sense of place. It is heartbreaking to imagine one of our keiki being told they cannot visit Waipiʻo. Please protect access to a very treasured place for our keiki.

I have surfed for nearly sixty years. If there were a true emergency, I could accept losing this important part of my life, but the report that the closure is based on does not outline an emergency. I have to think that the Mayor did not read the risk assessment in that report but relied on others to interpret it for him. Visitor traffic has become too heavy in recent years and should be regulated.