Kau Family Fun Fest on June 11

Billing itself as “the southernmost Goodwill Games in the USA,” a half marathon and family festival is planned for Na’alehu Park on the Big Island on Saturday, June 11, 2011. It will feature a Half Marathon, 10K and 5K races, and a variety of athletic tournaments for all ages.

Online registration is now available for the event, which will be a fundraiser for Bay Clinic, a network of nonprofit community clinics. Proceeds will go toward the construction of a new Ka’u Family Health Center.

Organizers say this event will take place annually, and that it promises to be a memorable experience for runners of all ages and abilities.

The race course traverses an old historic “Cane Field Road” in Ka’u, once used for hauling sugar cane to Na’alehu and Pahala sugar plantations. Offering one of the most scenic views of the Big Island’s southern coast, the route encompasses over 30 miles of breathtaking coastal landscapes from mauka to makai (mountain to sea).

Following the race, athletes will demonstrate their skills and compete for prizes in archery, basketball, Jan Ken Po, a hunter’s obstacle course and Portuguese horse shoe tournaments. Live music and entertainment, a live auction with Mayor Billy Kenoi, food and vendor booths, a health expo and a number of children’s activities will be also featured.

Early registration ends May 11, 2011. Event information and updates can be found at okaukakou.com, bayclinic.org, on Facebook (Kau Family Fun Fest) and Twitter (@KauFamFunFest).

For more information, contact race director Raylene Moses at (808) 235-8251 or kaufamilyfunfest@gmail.com for information on volunteer, sponsorship and vendor opportunities.