A LEGACY CARVED IN KOA
three finest Koa canoes in existence.” “I love the canoe,” Gose says. “I worked the canoe for many years, and I feel so proud to keep seeing the things that I did. They are like my babies.” While his legacy with the canoes is what many will remember, it was the opportunity at Outrigger that shaped Gose’s life in deeper, more personal ways. When he first arrived in Hawai‘i, he had been promised work as a paint- er—but while helping a friend repair a firearm, an accident cost him his fin- ger and disqualified him from the job. That unexpected twist of fate led him to OCC, where he not only discovered his passion for carpentry and crafts- manship, but also met his future wife, Lisa, a beloved Snack Shop employ- ee at the Club. Today, although both are now retired, the couple remains a treasured part of the Outrigger ‘oha- na. It’s not uncommon for them to be stopped multiple times on their way across the campus—members eager to say hello, share a hug, or simply catch up. Though Gose has officially stepped back from his role at the Club, his com- mitment to the canoes, and the commu- nity, continues. Each spring, he returns to prepare the Koa canoes for the annu- al blessing, a cherished Club tradition. “We generally do it the Friday night before the first regatta of the summer,” Guild explains, “so it gets everybody to- gether and in the right mood.” In addition to the Kakina, Leilani, and Kaoloa, this year’s blessing also includ- ed the newest addition to the fleet: the ‘Elepaio, which has now been official- ly named. With heartfelt pule and the guidance of Kahu Kordell Kekoa, mem- bers gathered on the beach to welcome the season ahead, offering blessings
16 AMA | JULY / AUGUST 2025
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