Memorial Day 2022
THank You

Those that have supported our race jersey fundraiser. Your support has helped Ke Kai explore all planning options and ensured that we were able to design a safe and successful event. It was incredible to see so many sporting this jersey on the beach! A special thanks to Keanu for sharing a beautiful jersey design, to Nicole for coordinating our fundraiser details, and to Jason for managing our sales booth with help from Linda, Jane, Isabella, and Cindy.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary team and escort boat drivers Mike, Pete, Andy, and Joonya and their support team Jane, Beth, Warren, and Junior for keeping an eye on our safety through three races. Your presence on the water is one of the most crucial parts of race day and we are incredibly grateful for your time and skill.

Our sponsors and partners: to PureWater for their donation of several gallons of drinking water and to Monterey Bay Kayaks for their partnership and use of their trash facilities - both of which have helped us continue to make our race day even more sustainable and clean, and to the anonymous benefactor who gifted our club with a new buoy marker so that we could continue to run a safe and visible race course.

Aunty Sandy McCleery for making such beautiful lei and George Keoki Da Paddler for gifting his custom, self-designed handkerchiefs to share with all race participants. By sharing your talents, you have helped us express our appreciation and gratitude - a true way to share your aloha!

Our sound crew: DJ Darren and wife Lucy for the fantastic music and tech set-up and to Alan for his constant good vibes and emcee skills. Your teamwork and support made communication a breeze!

Kumu Marleen and hula sisters for a beautiful and stunning performance on the beach. You left many in the crowd feeling awed, uplifted, and inspired by your grace.

The many hands involved in hauling gear and equipment, including Malcolm for ensuring we had a generator at the beach; Nicole, Lance, Jason, Keanu, Kris, and Steve for making the trek to our storage unit to load and unload our gear; and Dale and Mary for the delivery of our drinking water.

Rusty and Mick for catching canoes as they landed for our race’s beach finish and to Dale for removing rocks from our finish line. These seemingly small touches make a huge difference in the race to the finish line!

Manuel for performing the double duty of event photographer and beach clean up. The images you’ve captured show the incredible intensity of race day and the camaraderie of our sport. Thank you for sharing them with us.

Every single Ke Kai member - past and present - who turned out to help support the day. I extend a special thanks to our four crews of novice paddlers - your attention to Ke Kai’s canoes, gear, and site was remarkable. The way in which you’ve all worked together to prepare for time on the water is so appreciated. And to the dozens of members who were at the beach, even without paddling, to lend a helping hand - I’m am just wowed! I truly didn’t expect to see so many of you and I feel so fortunate to be part of your club.

And lastly, my fellow events committee members Lisa, Nicole, and Leah - it was a pleasure working with you to fine tune all of these details and I am incredibly grateful for your support, ingenuity, calm, and collaboration.

Congratulations on a successful event, Ke Kai. I am already looking forward to next year! ❤

-Grace, President
Original Facebook Post of Letter to Supporters