Our Mission

Friends For Fitness began in 1992 to decrease the prevalence of the sedentary lifestyle and to improve the health of Hawaii residents.  Our mission is to create a diverse, user-friendly, beautiful recreation area at the Maka'eo Walking Path that promotes healthy lifestyles through community participation and collaboration. 

Volunteer

Thursday Mornings

8:30am -11:30am

Tools will not be provided. 

Please bring your own gardening tools.

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If you love being outdoors and enjoy beautiful recreational areas as much as we do, put on those gardening gloves, pack up your inspiration, and land your ambition at the Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area!  The Maka'eo Walking Path is mauka the runway.  We have fun in the sun!

The CDC considers gardening a moderate-intensity level activity and achieving 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity activities every week is proven to help reduce the risk for certain health complications like obesity and heart disease.​

Adopt a Garden

Volunteering to care for a garden area is a great way to be physically active and stay healthy!

Adopting a garden area requires weeding, watering, landscaping, and regular maintenance.  However, volunteering comes with great appreciation, fulfillment, and positive health benefits.  You'll also have a place to call your own!

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Adopting a Garden

• Volunteer Work - Care for your very own garden area during your free time and on your schedule.

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• Create a unique garden area and do it at your own pace and without judgment.  Friends For Fitness is a great resource for promoting a healthy lifestyle and creativity.

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• Adopt a garden area for a minimum of 3 months or longer. (No obligations, but we do ask you to take pride in your garden and stick with it for at least 3 months.  Your time and effort are very much appreciated!)

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• Take part in the Friends For Fitness group activities if possible. (i.e. Helping other volunteers in their garden area, or volunteering to help out with a community event at the path, if you desire.)

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Contact Us

To adopt a garden, please contact Betty DeRoy, the Maka'eo Park Coordinator at 808-329-5519.  You'll set up a time to meet her at the path, choose a garden to adopt, and fill out an agreement form.

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Volunteer Guidelines & Disclaimer​

All volunteers and garden adoptees must review and sign a Volunteer Guidelines & Liability Waiver.

Any and all Friends For Fitness volunteers, garden adoptees, or any individual that accompanies and participates with a volunteer or garden adoptee will indemnify, defend and hold Friends For Fitness harmless from and against any claim or demand for loss, liability or damage, including claims for property damage, and personal injury arising out of any accident on the premises.  All volunteering is performed at will and Friends For Fitness will not be held liable for any injury or damage that may arise from participation with Friends For Fitness.

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The Maka'eo Walking & Jogging Path

Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area

Open daily from 7am-8pm

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• Walking & Joggin Path

  • 0.7 Mile Asphalt Loop

  • 0.3 Mile Asphalt Loop (Totaling 1 Mile)

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• Small Exercise Pavilion

  • Stretching post​

  • Parallel bars

  • Pull-up bars

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• Gardens

  • Succulent Garden (South end of path)

  • Maintained by Friends For Fitness Volunteers & Garden Adoptees

• Small Lawn (Under Renovation 2021-2022)

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• Large Lawn

  • Independent held Tai Chi Classes

  • Independent held Karate Classes

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• Bulletin Board Showcase

  • Updated monthly with health awareness information

  • Path events

  • Fun facts

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• Anchialine Pond

  • Large Anchialine Pond (Full when tide is high)

  • Small Anchialine Pond (in Succulent Garden)

Community-Focused

To improve accessibility to fitness-based activities, Friends For Fitness is proposing a variety of free-to-use community-focused fitness opportunities at Maka'eo.  We need your support and feedback in order to make these proposals a success.  The more support we have from the community, local businesses, and health organizations, the better the outcome for county-wide health and wellness!  Our ambitious efforts and dedication are always for our community!

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Friends For Fitness is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that receives funding through donations, grants, and fundraisers.

Donate

100 percent of your tax-deductible donation to Friends For Fitness is invested in the community through Maka'eo Walking Path maintenance paired with ongoing research and development of fitness focused opportunities and programs that positively benefit improving the health of the Big Island community.  We invite you to be part of a new perspective for our local walking path and gardens.

Donate > PayPal

No PayPal account required.

Donate > Snail Mail

Please make checks payable to:

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Friends for Fitness

P.O. Box 3668

Kailua Kona, HI  96745

Mahalo for your kokua!

Mahalo volunteers and garden adoptees for your ambitious work in caring for these garden areas.  You are truly an inspiration in our community!

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A big mahalo to local companies, Hawaii County, garden adoptees, and volunteers that have made, and continue to make charitable donations to Friends For Fitness!  Your generosity allows Friends For Fitness to fulfill our mission in multitude.

@friendsforfitnesskona