Camp Hale Koa has served campers since the 1940's but in 2011 the group that managed the camp for decades suddenly gave up their lease. 

Numerous groups were interested in use of the facilities but a group of youth workers, church leaders, businessmen and friends of group camping from all around the island joined together to create The Camp Hale Koa Association, a non profit group designed to insure that there would be an affordable, safe and attractive place for youth and family groups to camp in Kokee.

The State awarded the lease to the CHKA and in 2015, after seeing the immense amount of work and goodwill put into the camp, gave the CHKA a long term lease. 

What the folks of the Camp Hale Koa Association inherited in 2011 was a ravaged facility in need of major repair and clean up. With virtually no cash but the enthusiasm of many volunteers the process of restoring the camp began. 

On the first day of clean up over 50 truck loads of trash (including a dumper) were hauled to the dump. 

And this was just the beginning. 

Donations large and small came from folks on Kauai and on the mainland who caught the vision of what the

camp could be and had a deep appreciation of what the camping experience can do for a young person.

Work crews came from other states and many a local construction worker gave up a day of paid work to help rebuild the camp.

The slide show above is just a peek at the before and after process and many of the faces who made it possible.

To all these folks we extend a huge Mahalo!