Professional volleyball player and supermodel Gabrielle Reese, who is married to Hanalei boy Laird Hamilton, earlier this week presided over dedication activities for the state’s only sand volleyball court at a public school .
But the students couldn’t play on it, because it wasn’t quite finished .
In typical Hawai‘i-, Kaua‘i- and Hanalei-time fashion, more time is needed before enough sand is brought in to fill the hole where the court will eventually be .
But that didn’t stop the dedication ceremonies, and didn’t stop Reese, holding daughter Reece Hamilton, 2, in her arms part of the time, from offering a volleyball clinic to excited students .
Local volleyball players joined in to teach the students the finer points of beach volleyball, and how to enjoy the sport safely .
Public and private donations, including around $5,000 for the sand alone, led to the project’s near-completion, explained Tiffany Spencer, a Hanalei School parent and former reporter for KGMB news (channel 9) .
Around 100 cubic yards of sand, or around 150 tons, were donated, or purchased from funds donated to leaders of the school’s Parent Teacher Student Association .
County officials loaned the use of Department of Public Works dump trucks to deliver the sand, and other donations allowed the purchase of the net and balls .
Community-member “sweat equity” led to the construction of the court, said Spencer .
Hanalei School parent Caridyn Colburn, a PTSA officer, was instrumental in getting Reese to campus, Spencer said .
Originally intending to return to their Maui home earlier this week, Laird Hamilton ended up spending most of yesterday doing some tow-in surfing in Hanalei Bay, where 25-foot waves were rolling in .
Gabrielle Reese and Reece Hamilton enjoyed the beach and waters far away from the pounding surf, along with Spencer and others .
