Community

Give Aloha with CrossFit Anahola

April 8, 2019 by
Enjoying Morning Chalk Up? Access additional exclusive interviews, analyses, and stories with an Rx membership.

The story.

Bronson Lovell noticed that the church he had grown up in had been taken over by drug addicts and shanty tents. Last fall, he cleared it out and decided to convert it into a CrossFit gym to serve the community.

Once the space was in good enough shape to start running, Bronson reached out on social media asking for equipment. Aaron Hoff, Founder of Keala Foundation, saw the message and reached out to Bronson to see if he was serious.

He was, and the next thing Bronson knew, CrossFit had donated all the equipment they needed to open CrossFit Anahola. The box thrived with about 40 people joining their classes, five days a week, with kids classes two days a week. But in October, the Department of Hawaiian Homelands forced them to shut down because they lacked the proper permit.

But that didn’t stop them.

Bronson and CrossFit Anahola packed up the equipment and drove it to Bronson’s home and started holding classes there, right in Bronson’s carport.

Now, the Keala Foundation is helping to raise funds for CrossFit Anahola to rebuild with the #GiveAloha campaign. Their goal is to raise funds for a forever home, get more equipment, provide vans for transportation and food for the kids, and funds for a larger coaching staff.

“For too long we have been losing a battle against alcoholism and drug addiction, watching families be destroyed and dragged through a hell that is unfathomable,” said Aaron Hoff, Founder of  Keala. “Today we are taking a stand, uniting people in the community one by one, to truly make a difference. CrossFit Anahola is bringing light to a community that has constantly been forgotten.”

This way, CrossFit Anahola doesn’t just provide fitness. The heart of Keala is to lower the barrier of entry as far as possible. By providing free transportation, CrossFit Anahola can get them from school, take them to the gym, feed them, and then drive them home, every day. CrossFit Anahola has no intention of forgetting a single community member. They want them all.

Get the Newsletter

For a daily digest of all things CrossFit. Community, Competitions, Athletes, Tips, Recipes, Deals and more.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.