Aloha, my name is Zetta Freitas and I am 12 years old. I have been going to Waipio since I was very little. Waipio is important to me because it is the place that I go with my family and friends to surf and enjoy the ocean. Waipio is a place that is free and natural. When I am there I feel relaxed. My dad taught me how to surf in Waipio and it is where I have gotten lots of my confidence out in the water. I also got my first barrel there and I will always remember that moment and it is very special to me. I miss going surfing down in the valley and hope that it will open up soon.

Waipio is the heart of the Big Island. I’ve driven and walked the road many times. The dangers are being exaggerated. The closure was a major but correctable mistake. All residents of the island should be able to visit. Tourist traffic can be restricted to appropriate tour vehicles. Meanwhile, a long-overdue plan to improve the road can be developed.

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.