#HiloGromSquad

Hilo Grom Squad  was established in 2022 by Grom Moms Nalani and Kanani to raise money so their sons Keao and Analu could attend and compete in surf events outside of Hawaiʻi Island. As parents, it's hard to have to say no when it's solely because of finances especially when contests are a great way for kids to hone their skills, meet other surfers, and visit and learn about other places. We're a team but not a club or a non-profit so we can't provide tax write-offs or monetary donations yet we need sustainable ways to make money. Our idea: generate sustainable surf-related kākoʻo (support) by generating surf-related merch and invite everyone to follow their adventures on Instagram - and 360Hilo was born! Everybody needs clothes and everyone loves to represent and now you can support our young bodyboarders and rock some awesome merch at the same time! Itʻs our hope to continue to add more groms to the roster so we can help more kids with contest-related expenses. 

Gibby and Isaiah - both super talented groms - joined the group in mid 2023. They're both regulars at Honoli'i and despite all four living in different areas of Hilo and attending different schools, they're really good friends and it's awesome that they're doing this journey together!

Why go through so much trouble just so our boys can surf? Because it's not just surfing. Everything you learn in any sports team, you learn when surfing: teamwork, dedication, hard work, perseverance, camaraderie, facing defeat gracefully, accepting a win with humility. Then there are the added lessons: reading the water movement, learning the currents, understanding the tides, mālama ʻāina, mālama pōkiʻi, conservation. The biggest flex? The fact that surfing - including bodyboarding - is Hawaiian, born of Kanaloa. It is enjoyed and beloved all over the world but it is quintessentially and uniquely Hawaiian.