Bike ride through Kalihi ahupuaa today to fund youth services

Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services is sponsoring a bike ride today to raise money for its youth programs.

The inaugural Kalihi Ahupua‘a Ride will take more than 100 bicyclists through the ahupuaa of Kalihi while making stops at cultural and historical landmarks, showing participants features of Kalihi that most people have not seen before. Today’s ride is 7.8 miles and runs from 9 a.m. to noon.

“Kalihi is a place full of waiwai — abundance and importance,” said Kanoa O’Connor, youth coordinator at Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services. “The ahupuaa ride is an opportunity for us to connect to the waiwai of our beloved valley — in a pono, environmentally friendly way — through the stories of the land and her people.”

The ride begins at Ho‘oulu Aina, a refuge in the back of Kalihi Valley, and ends at the site of the Loko Ananoho fishpond. Throughout the ride, participants will learn about the nonprofit organization’s restoration efforts and visit new art murals designed by Kalihi youth in collaboration with John “Prime” Hina, founder of the Hawaii nonprofit arts organization 808 Urban. Storytellers, historians and others will be at each stop to share each location’s background.

Other stops include bike shop Eki Cyclery and the Kalihi Valley Instructional Bike Exchange.

“This ride is really just showcasing our youth and the resilience and the beauty of our community,” said Kevin Faller, manager of the Kalihi Valley Instructional Bike Exchange.

All donations from the event will go directly to Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services programs that offer services such as malama aina activities, early literacy education, mentorship and extracurricular opportunities.

Event sponsors, such as the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Bank of Hawaii, First Hawaiian Bank, Ponaman Healthcare Consulting, Young Brothers Hawaii and Ohana Health Plan, have already contributed more than $14,000.

Event officials said bike riders 12 and older who can follow bike safety protocol are encouraged to register. Light refreshments will also be provided throughout the route.

To register for today’s ride, visit eventbrite.com and go to the 1st Annual Kalihi Ahupua‘a Ride.