The Lobby | Drinks
A Legacy of Giving Back Connie Carr Builds Community at OCC By Rachel Wagenmen
ingredients, tweaking recipes, and lis- tening to feedback. One of my favorite discoveries came from simply wandering the kitchen for inspiration—the Wasabi Mule mocktail. At first, people couldn’t believe wasabi belonged in a drink, and the pushback was comical. But once they tried it, the bold, unexpected kick won them over, and it remains one of my per- sonal favorites to this day. What’s your approach to designing a mocktail so it feels as special as a cocktail? Mocktails and low-ABV cocktails are one of the biggest trends right now, and I think their popularity will only continue to grow. For me, the key is layering fla- vor. We create house-made syrups and unique infusions to bring depth and com- plexity, so the drink feels just as thought- fully crafted as a cocktail. There’s also a growing focus on wellness, which I love. Using fresh, nutrient-rich ingredients means these drinks not only taste amaz- ing, but also offer a little something extra for the body, making them feel indulgent and beneficial at the same time. For someone hosting at home, what’s one simple trick to make a drink feel festive without complicated prep? An easy upgrade is freezing fruits like cranberries or orange slices into ice cubes ahead of time; they look beautiful in the glass and add a seasonal touch as they melt. Even something as simple as switching up the rim—using sparkling sugar in a fun color, or a salt rim infused with lime zest—can transform an every- day drink into something that feels spe- cial and celebratory. If readers could stock just three ingredients to elevate their holiday drinks, what would you recommend? Fresh herbs, seasonal fruit, and warm spices are the essentials. Spices like cin- namon, nutmeg, and anise instantly add that nostalgic holiday warmth. Fresh herbs, think mint, sage, or thyme—bring beautiful aroma and layers of flavor. And seasonal fruits not only brighten the taste, but also add a vibrant, eye-catch- ing touch that makes any cocktail feel festive and elevated.
paddling team.” Supporting her children’s teams and adding to the Club’s athletic tal- ent were part of the motivation, but Carr’s deeper goal was to give the next generation the same neighbor- hood spirit she’d grown up with at OCC. She looked for young members who would embody the generosity, kindness, and love of the ocean that defined the community at the Club. “I never expected anything in re- turn—I just wanted to make people happy,” Carr says. “I had so much fun sponsoring wonderful kids, watching them grow into young adults and professionals—and now they’re parents! It brings me such joy.” “Growing up, we’d be in the mid- dle of Costco, on the North Shore, or at the airport, and I’d hear peo- ple yell, ‘Connie!’ across the way,” Wolf recalls. “My mom would know someone everywhere we went be- cause she had just sponsored their sons or daughters. That’s the kind of person she is—she connects with everyone she meets.” Today, Wolf says her mother has inspired her to share OCC with as many people as possible. “It is al- ways an honor when a friend asks me to sponsor them or their child,” she shares. Now, with a daughter of her own, Wolf hopes to teach her the importance of giving back to a place that has given so much to their family—and to continue the legacy by being a welcoming face for the generations to come.
➳ For Meleana Wolf and her family, Thursday evenings at the Club were just a normal part of life. While she, her dad, and three broth- ers played in the sand, her mother, Connie Carr, was serving as a spon- sor for new Outrigger Canoe Club members—sometimes two or three at a time. “I remember seeing young 10-year-olds, all dressed up, sitting in the lobby—waiting to be called into the boardroom for their inter- view,” Wolf says. “An hour later, my mom would walk out. She always took such pride in those evenings. She knew how important each in- terview was, and how special each child was, that she would sponsor.” Carr was born in Wahiawā and later moved to Kāhala. A member of the Outrigger Canoe Club for 60 years, she calls it “the neighborhood you never had.” She joined at age ten, spent her days surfing Tongg’s, and landed her first job as a junior lead- er in the Club’s summer program, teaching kids to surf and paddle. “There’s nothing like the Outrig- ger,” Carr says. “I think it's just the best thing that’s ever happened to me and my family.” Throughout her decades at the Club, Carr has sponsored count- less new members—many of them friends of her four children, all of whom paddled for OCC. She was “the lei maker,” gathering the pad- dling moms to braid ti leaves before each race. “That’s when I recruited more kids,” she says with a smile. “You wanted to make sure you had a good volleyball team and a good
8 AMA | november/december 2025
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