Itʻs a place of sanctuary, surfing, hiking, fishing. We’ve lived in Kohala for 20 years and frequent Waipio at least once a month. We have so many beautiful memories of this sacred place. Our community needs Waipio. It is one of the few direct ocean access points with a sandy beach that local families can go to. It needs to be opened to island residents.

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.

Waipi’o valley has always been a huge part of my life and overall well being. Since birth, I’ve spent countless hours at the beach, playing in the sand, swimming, surfing, hiking, kayaking and fishing..It’s my home. It’s a place of healing, where I feel like I can wash all my worries away and be spiritually connected. Since the closing of Waipi’o road I feel like a big part of me is missing.