Wa`akapaemua Say Mahalo Molokai

Canoe club members want to say mahalo to community for its support.

Wa`akapaemua paddlers assist with fundraising efforts at the Saturday farmers market.

By Andres Madueno

Wa`akapaemua Canoe Club would like to send a huge mahalo to everyone on Molokai who helped support their team.

The canoe club has been fundraising since January 2008 for this year’s season.

“We just really want to thank the community for supporting us,” said Wa`a paddler Penny Martin. “Without the community we wouldn’t have been able to do any of the things we accomplished this year.”

It cost the Wa`akapaemua Canoe Club $10,000 to take all their crews who qualified for the state competition on Oahu this year. The funds were raised primarily through T-shirt and plate lunches sold to the community.

The club tries to raise enough money so that the kids who want to join can afford to participate. The team supplies the paddles, coaches, and most importantly the canoes.

“It’s a sport that teaches you strong values and it helps keep the kids busy and out of trouble,” said Martin.

The canoe club holds fundraisers three times a year at the Saturday farmers market in Kaunakakai. 

“Thank you Molokai. We really appreciate everything you have done for us,” from the Wa`kapaemua Canoe Club.