July 2021

We embarked on this journey to Hawaii with GIVE volunteers which is an organization whose mission is to empower global citizens and ignite sustainable change worldwide by connecting volunteers to their host communities . Mack became involved with GIVE back in 2018 and it was thrilling to be able to experience Hawaii together.

On the first morning there, we explored our surroundings for a quick moment before heading to Waipi’o to begin our project work with Pohaha I Ka Lani which is a non-profit organization based in the Waipi’o Valley and their goal is to revitalize and advance indigenous Kanaka Maoli cultural knowledge and land stewardship.

The project that we were working on was to remove invasive plant species to aid in preparing for revegetating the area with native species while being conscious of the history of Hawaiian culture. Once we completed our tasks, we then hiked roughly 3.5 miles down to Waipi’o Valley which led us to a beautiful black sand beach and back. At the beach, we wandered off with our pal Maggie to simply be present in solitude when we were greeted by a pony. We quickly scurried away when we had the realization it was running towards us. When we reunited with our group it was time for lunch and then a steep climb out of the valley.

Another organization we had the privilege of working with was the Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative which is a dry forest that is home to some ancient Wiliwili trees! In the dry forest we were able to learn about different native plants in their greenhouse and help remove invasive species to help encourage a self-sustainable ecosystem.

The entire group spent the evening at Waialea Beach where we were free to lay in the sand, swim in the ocean or explore beyond with a snorkel. This was a great day for meaningful conversation and really getting to know some of the other volunteers. Each evening ends with Good Vibes which is where you can anonymously express gratitude or joy for the positive moments you’ve experienced.

On day four of this adventure, we went to Hamakua Harvest to primarily help remove the guinea grass which is an invasive species of grass to help prepare the land for collaborative farming. The guinea grass was tough but we were tougher. We were there for about three hours and unfortunately had to leave the project unfinished.

After lunch the group went to ‘Akaka Falls State Park where we walked the half mile paved path to the falls. The lush forest leading to the falls was nothing short of spectacular. While the walk was short, it was more than worth it to see the abundance of tropical vegetation leading to the most spectacular viewpoint of the waterfall. We also learned that the ‘o’opu ‘alamo’o, which is a native goby that lives in the Kolekole Stream, climb the 442 feet straight up the waterfall using suction discs and their pectoral fins to move along the rocky sides.

Volcanoes National Park is an absolute must for anyone traveling to Hawaii. This national park covers about 520 square miles and has two volcanoes - Kīlauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes and Mauna Loa. We spent the morning hiking through and were able to experience many rainbows along the way.