AUDREY BLAIR

CAPTAIN COOK RESIDENT & KONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUBLIC PROGRAMS MANAGER

PHOTO ONE: Since moving to Kona, I have spent time pondering what my Great Great Grandma Lena might think of my life and how she might respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. She was born and raised in Kealakekua and left in 1918 at age 18 as a stowaway on a ship bound for San Francisco. In many ways, 1918 was a much scarier time to be alive than 2020. Over the last few weeks I've taken heart and courage from the stories of her determination and fearlessness. Though she is someone I remember always and for many reasons, I feel she will represent a source of strength for me when I reflect back on the COVID-19 pandemic. 

PHOTO TWO: This is a photo of me introducing a 2nd grade class from Kona to Shizu and Charlie Boy. These virtual field trips have been the most anxiously anticipated part of my week! They have bridged a connection that had been missing for me since stay at home orders were put in place. If you or your keiki participated in one of these field trips, I want say mahalo nui loa for joining me. I will remember the energy and lightness this program brought to my life for a long time. 

PHOTO THREE: This is a photo of all the cards my Dad has sent me from March 2020 to today. He picks up these cards at local craft markets, thrift stores, and yard sales and has sent me a few each week for almost 9 years. So, getting them during the pandemic was not a deviation from the norm. In fact, having this same normal routine every week while the world around me was scary and uncertain has been incredibly grounding. I also found more time to soak up the humor, love, and stories always shared in these cards. Each one for the last 9 years is special, but this particular stack represents the things that will never change and that I can always count on.