Maluhia Maui Rotary Club welcomes Wailea Canoe Club paddlers to share culture and community, Sept. 1

Maluhia Maui Rotary Club will welcome Wailea Canoe Club paddlers Twolia Meinen and Jen Nill as guest speakers on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. The pair will share their experiences in outrigger canoe paddling and discuss the culture, community and connections that extend far beyond competition.

The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Peace Pole located in South Maui Gardens in Kīhei, just days before members of Wailea Canoe Club travel to Hawai’i Island to participate in the 2026 Queen Lili’uokalani Canoe Races and Festivals, Sept. 3-7.

Meinen and Nill will discuss Wailea Canoe Club’s upcoming participation in the event, along with fundraising efforts to help team members offset the costs of attending and competing. The international gathering provides paddlers and opportunity not only to race, but to meet crews from around the world, exchange stories and celebrate the traditions and shared culture of outrigger canoe paddling.

For Meinen, who first joined Wailea Canoe Club in 2008 and returned to paddling years later, the sport has become about much more than what happens on the water.

“Being a part of this club is a lifestyle and I’m proud to be a member of Wailea Canoe Club,” Meinen said.

During their presentation, Meinen and Nill will offer a more personal look at that experience including the friendships, perseverance and sense of belonging that have shaped their time with the club. They will also discuss the role Wailea Canoe Club plays in supporting its members and reiki, encouraging active lifestyles, and fostering respect and care for the ocean and ‘āina.

Meinen describes paddling as a culture capable of connecting people well beyond Hawai’i.

“We will tell them our stories and share our experiences,” Meinen said of the upcoming Queen Lili’uokalani Races. “We will hear stories from aroudn the globe, sharing paddling as the culture that unites us.”

Wailea Canoe Club works to revive, perpetuate and promote Hawaiian culture through completive and recreational Hawaiian outrigger canoe paddling while fostering leadership, character development and personal growth.

The community is invited to join Maluhia Maui Rotary Club for the Sept. 1 presentation and learn more about Meinen and Nill, Wailea Canoe Club, and the club’s journey to the Queen Lili’uokalani Races.