Waiʻanae Surf Club

Take a trip to the west side of O’ahu and you’ll find yourself in the heart of Waiʻanae. So many pass through this town and don’t give it a second thought. But if you dive just a little bit into this community you’ll find a city rich with culture and really proud of their Hawaiian heritage. Unfortunately this community is overwhelmed by poverty and hardship.

STN was invited to work with a group of children from one of the cities many transitional housing shelters and we decided to really invest in those children by establishing the Waiʻanae Surf Club. Many of these children and teens live only a few minutes from the beach but have never learned to swim!

Every Wednesday we take those children out to Pokai Bay and teach them how to swim and surf. Through the sport of surfing we teach them to respect the land and the ocean, as well as each other. We teach them games and give them obstacles to accomplish, and when the do accomplish them we shower them with praise and aloha. Through the Waiʻanae Surf Club, STN is trying to create a sense of family and unity that these children might not get elsewhere. It is important to give these children a sense of self-worth and a good foundation to build their lives on. STN is dedicated to seeing these children grow and become the men and women we believe they can be.