Kaeti Ecker and Sarah Govier are on a mission.
Over the past few months — 13 weeks to be exact, as of Wednesday — the two have spent hours cleaning up an array of garbage strewn along the side of Queen Kaahumanu Highway. Sometimes together, sometimes solo and on different days, but always for two hours each Wednesday afternoon.
Their mission is to remove all of the detritus from both sides of the highway, from its intersection with Kealakehe Parkway to Kaiminani Drive. That’s about 8 miles in the lava field and hot sun plucking from the ground everything from broken glass and car parts to clothing and toys.
Ecker, a retiree, said she started cleaning the roadside because it felt right and she enjoys seeing the clean aina while riding her bike.
“It just makes me feel good — you listen to the news, news doesn’t make you feel good,” Ecker said as she removed glass bottles and other opala from the bush as vehicles zoomed by, some honking.
Govier got involved not long after Ecker began. Being on furlough amid the pandemic, Govier explained, gave her plenty of time, and she wanted to give back.
“I saw her out one day and I was like, ‘whoa, I want to do that.’ So I said, ‘Kaeti, what’s up, let’s do this. I want to help you,’” she said. The two met about a decade ago when Ecker helped train Govier for the 2010 Ironman World Championship.
To date, Ecker and Govier, along with a few helpers, have made their way from the Honokohau Harbor entrance north to Kaiminani Drive and back south on the makai side of the highway to the entrance Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park.
The amount of garbage they’ve collected has required 13 truck loads to the dump. Wednesday’s haul alone filled Govier’s truck to the brim with all sorts of junk, including cardboard, plastic and other trash, such as masks and gloves.
“Some stuff is going to fall out of a truck — it’s going to happen,” Govier said. “But, today, I found a plastic water bottle with cigarette butts and it was closed. Are you telling me that just fell out, or was someone just like, ‘eww, this smells gross’ and threw it out?”
The two invite any one who wants to help to join them on Wednesdays. Just look for Govier’s white Toyota pickup truck and a wood sign that states “If you care about the aina, stop littering.” Govier also started the Facebook group Kona Roadside Cleanup to facilitate the effort.