Mahalo nui for walking for our water
by Kirsten Kagimoto and Rebekah Garrison | Reading time: 3 minutes
The Walk for Water to Shut Down Red Hill was a SUCCESS! Over 500 people came out to demonstrate their commitment to protecting our life giving water and share in the collective movement.
It was a beautiful morning for the three-mile walk, with opening remarks and pule from Manu Meyers—we can’t thank Manu enough for centering us all and starting our day off right. People of all ages from all walks of life joined together in song and chant as we made our way around Ala Moana Regional Park back to Magic Island.
There are many thanks to be given —
This entire event was planned and executed by the most dedicated, hardest working committee of kūpuna volunteers alongside partners and sponsors from Hawaiʻi People's Fund, RevoluSun, Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Workers Center, Hawaiʻi Youth Climate Coalition, ʻIolani Environmental Club, 15 Craigside, Hawaiʻi Peace and Justice, Patagonia, Moanalua Valley Community Association, Shut Down Red Hill Coalition, Mauna Medics, Honolulu Board of Water Supply, O'ahu Water Protectors, and the many other hands behind the scenes. They worked tirelessly for months to see to it that the walk would be the success it was. Mahalo mahalo mahalo.
Leading up to the walk, the kūpuna organized a press conference to launch the event and surprise our director, Wayne Tanaka, with a certificate of recognition by the Hawaiʻi State Senate. Kūpuna of 15 Craigside and Arcadia retirement communities then organized over 200 residents to sign a homemade banner as well as made 72 hand painted signs to contribute to the walk to show their support for the event and even organized a press conference to share their support. Kūpuna also arranged two walk t-shirt pick up days at Patagonia Honolulu to encourage participants to wear their t-shirts for the walk.
Big mahalo to everyone that registered and came out to the walk. We are so grateful you chose to spend your Sunday morning with us and join together with fellow water drinkers in defense of our irreplaceable water resources. We also extend our gratitude to the many folks that made donations to the walk, even though they were unable to attend. Proceeds from registration fees and donations will go directly to support the Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi and our work to shut down Red Hill once and for all. Together, over $22,000 was raised for our organization from this event. We are incredibly grateful and humbled by the support you folks have shown us.
Early registrants received Walk for Water shirts featuring the logo and artwork of Stephanie Chang. You can read more about the logo here. Thank you Stephanie for joining the cause and sharing your art!
All registrants and participants received a “Can Our Tears Clean the Aquifer?” poster with the breathtaking art of Makaiwa Kanui. Mahalo nui Makaiwa for graciously sharing your art and manaʻo with us. We encourage you to read more about her artwork here.
Thank you to Mauna Medics (and the Honolulu Police Department) for keeping everyone safe throughout the morning.
And as always, mahalo nui to Ernie Lau and the Honolulu Board of Water Supply staff for all they do day in and day out to protect our precious wai. Ernie was at the walk, sign in hand, donning his warm, gentle smile, humbling accepting the kind thanks of the many water drinkers in attendance.
It is through all of this gratitude that we are reminded of the abundance of our collective power when we pause, come together, and remain steadfast in our aloha for the land and each other. As we build along this path–together–our steps are guided by the many who share their generous offerings, of which we are thankful.