Gretchen, 21, a junior at Clemson University from Columbia, SC, is majoring in Sociology with a minor in travel and tourism. As a Moondance student, she explored Big Wild, Fiji, and Thailand. This summer, she leads the Maui trip, bringing her enthusiasm for travel and her ability to inspire others. With her diverse travel experiences and academic pursuits, Gretchen is poised to lead her group on an unforgettable adventure.
Sadie, 21, from Atlanta, GA, is gearing up for her first leadership role with Moondance, leading the Maui trip. Heading into her junior year at the University of Michigan, majoring in Political Science, Sadie displays her leadership through her involvement on campus, including her role as president of her sorority. With Moondance adventures in Alaska (Midnight Sun), the Dolomites, and the Hawaiian Islands as a student, Sadie understands the importance of fostering camaraderie and creating memorable experiences. Excited to guide her team through the beauty of Maui, Sadie looks forward to sharing her passion for adventure and leadership, creating lasting memories along the way.
Jared, 22, hails from Birmingham, AL, and recently graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Supply Chain Management. With a background as a whitewater raft guide on the Ocoee and Nantahala Rivers, Jared brings a wealth of outdoor leadership experience to our team. Additionally, his passion for music as a drummer in two different bands during his time at Auburn demonstrates his creativity and ability to collaborate effectively. Excited to embark on his first leadership role on our Fiji trip, Jared is eager to inspire teenagers to embrace adventure and foster meaningful connections in the great outdoors.
July 24, 2024
How else could MAU 3B wrap up their trip with an action filled week! Who knew the next few days would bring bittersweet emotions and sweet precious memories spent with one another. It was very evident from airport day that these kids had an incredible group dynamic, and it truly showed over the past 4 days..
Saturday morning snuck up on us as we had an action filled day ahead of us! Bright and early we met none other than the man, myth, and legend: GRIFF! Former Moondance leader and now resident of Maui, we sea kayaked along the coast of Makena and snorkeled for a few hours. William did NOT hold back by screaming to his kayaking partner, Caroline, “RIGHT. LEFT. BARREL ROLL. RIGHT. LEFT. BARREL ROLL!” While everyone was already bursting out laughing, Jared snuck up behind him and stole his paddle. The war begun! But it still didn’t stop William and his determination to win by using his arms to paddle in the water. Right after this, we immediately hopped on some paddle boards and paddled out of a bay to soak in some Maui sunshine and hear stories about such an intriguing island. Although short and sweet, it was definitely memorable as Darha hopped up on his board and proceeded to jump and run on everyone else’s (while they were on it), making all 13 of us fall in the water. We got to the van and went to the beach for the last time! Everyone was swimming, tanning, or playing spikeball in the sand. Then, our LODs (leaders of the day), Adelaide and Brooks, surprised the kids with a SHAVED ICE STOP! Where else other than Peace Love Shave Ice!? After a longgg day of activities and travel, we prepped dinner and headed to Lavender Farms for a poke bowl picnic and sunset. The sun set right beneath the clouds, peeping out just in time for us to see it. What a special way to end such a fun Saturday, especially with a good ole Moonup on Haleakala.
Sunday was our earliest wake up, and for all the right reasons. Happy Redline day! We got to Kihei and hopped on the boat with Redline Rafting to go and snorkel the Molokini Crater, and all along the south west coast of Maui. On our last stop, Harper, Lilla and I (Heeeey! It’s Gretch!) jumped in and spotted, no joke, 11 sea turtles! Some sleeping on the floor of the ocean, babies exploring the coral, and mom and dad sea turtles chillin just FEET away from us. It was such an incredible experience, and definitely one we will NEVER forget. We had no regrets and took advantage of our last time in the ocean in Maui. On the way back home, we stopped at Wow Wow Lemonade for a treat in honor of… OLYMPICS DAY! Man oh man had we been preparing for the blue team to take home a win, and that we most definitely did. Quinn and Byrne set the tone early on by winning the watermelon eating contest. In moments like these does such a rewarding feeling fill the air as you see your group supporting and hyping up one another, knowing that what we have is a family of 14 who love each other and want each other to succeed. We definitely won spirit and sportsmanship, and of course 1st place! Next, Ella and Caroline were dedicated to the game of spikeball and absolutely CRUSHED the white and red teams, taking home a huge W for the BLUE TEAM! Our wins were celebrated with whip cream all over our faces and smiles that went for miles. Once we cleaned up, we had a fun Moonup underneath a starry Maui sky, and called it a night for a long but worth being tired weekend.
As our last full day on Maui approached us, we slept in and then loaded the van to head over to Kapalua. Ziplining is one of our favorite activities, getting to go down SIX different lines while soaking in some breathtaking views. Margaret FLEW through every line as she was forced to cannonball her way down every. single. line. It was such a giggly moment watching our guides giving her a push to help her go fast and have the most fun. After a long car ride home, we started to pack up and clean camp to make our lives easier for tomorrow. We decided to do a different banquet than normal, and get take out from Paia Fish Market and watch the sunset together on the rocks of Ho’okipa Lookout. As surfers filled the water and the tacos filled our bellies, it was such an intimate and personable moment to share food with one another by eating family style, all circled around each other. Then, we made a pit stop for some gelato, where the girls had thrown on nightgowns to strut the streets of Paia. Upon returning to camp, we decided to all crowd in our U-Haul, on top of all of our duffels, for one last long and deep Moonup. In a space like such, we reminisced on the past 2 weeks spent beside each other, laughing, crying, and everything in between.
As hugs got tighter and planes started taking off, we realized how thankful we were for the tears, because how special are we to have a group so close that makes saying goodbye so hard. MAU 3B, you all mean so much to us and we will forever be grateful for those who sent you to Moondance and gave us the opportunity to know and love such special people in such a short amount of time. We are very lucky to end our incredible summer with some incredible people. As summer comes to an end, we wish you luck in your future endeavors; know we are always here for you and love you immensely!
Until next time,
Gretchen, Jared & Sadie
July 20, 2024
& WELCOME BACK to another trip update with MAU 3B! The fun is only starting and we are so excited to share all the fun things we’ve planned for the past 4 days!! Time is FLYING by.. please make it slow down!!
Day 6 started off with our first day of SURFING!! The amazing and incredible Maui Beach Boys took us out on the water to help us catch some amazing waves. Brooks got up fast, showcasing his balance and gnarly water skills! Incredible form and execute as a first timer.. he killed it!! After surfing, we braved the Wai’hee Ridge Hike. It didn’t take long for Adelaide and Margaret (aka squirt + pip) to bust a move to the front and lead the group to 2,563 ft of panoramic views of Wailuku and central Maui, the Kahakuloa slopes, and Mount Eke. Everyone made it up, but most importantly, everyone made it down! We headed back home to chill in Eno Village and have some down time before dinner & Moonup. Loaded quesadillas made the menu for Chef Jared tonight, always providing us with delicious meals to fill our hearts & bellies!
The next morning we made our way back down to Kihei for our second day of surfing! The waves were stellar today, and I got to witness Ella and Lilla have some of the best surfs of their lives! Maui Beach Boys teaches us that the best surfer in the water is the one with the biggest smile, and these two exceeded expectations. Shortly after, this unbeatable duo got to work on Pono Grown Farms, planting fennel, and ran into a centipede growing in the beds!! It was a crazy, fast, hilarious, and memorable moment for the books. After a long day of surfing and hard work helping out Evan Ryan on his farm, we made burgers and loaded the van for a last minute decision to watch the sunset at Ho’okipa Lookout. Soaking up the sunset with turtles on the beach, surfers in the water, and plenty of pictures taken, it was the busiest & best day yet. Once we pulled up back home, we went straight into Moonup so that we could get to bed early for such a special day..
WOOHOO! QUINN IS 15! Birthdays are a specialty of Moondance, and one of mine if I do say so myself (Gretchen here!!!). We got to sleep in a little today before heading into a big day ahead of us. We went to windsurfing and had AMAZING weather. William was up on his feet, either just to fall off or to accomplish a sail 360° for the first time. Everyone was mastering the tricks our guides so gracious taught us, and everyone was eager to excel! Then, we had lunch at the park and let the girls soak up some sunshine while the boys had Jared’s boot camp.. in preparation for the Olympics! Not too long after this we headed back to camp to get our laundry and explore Makawao for the day. We shopped, got coffee, did some laundry, and most definitely got some things to bring home with us at the end of the trip: this, being, Quinn’s American flag he copped from Ace Hardware. On our ride home, Byrne queued the aux (per usual) and found allll the sweet spots in our group, from Zach Bryan to Morgan Wallen and Toby Keith. The car rides in Maui are frequent, yet so special; music is such an essential part of group dynamics and Byrne serves every! single! time! We came back home for a fast and easy dinner, and continued to have Moonup as the moon light brightened our faces!
A longggg sleeping day was so long overdue. The smell of Jared’s classic breakfast burritos had the kids on their feet and ready for a day of RAPPELING! Caroline signed herself up for the challenge and went first down the 50 ft waterfall. She crushed it! Dahra looked like a pro going down the waterfall and then a 30 ft dry rappel, beating all of us with a record winning time coming down the rappels – even the outfitter said something! However, all the nugs from the Nug Jug belong to Harper, for her bravery and determination to get down and have fun while doing it. No regrets were made, and a trip to Paia to shop was just the reward she was looking for :)! We hit the town of Paia and then headed into Kahului for Walmart. Once we got home, everyone spread out as beef tips and rice were being made for a wonderful Friday night dinner. We had Moonup, and then everyone continued to keep talking, getting to know each other and spending as much time together as we can with (unfortunately) such little time left.
As we feel as if our trip is just starting, we couldn’t be more thankful for those who shared your loved one with us for 2 weeks in Maui! All 11 of our kids mean so much to us, and the goodbye is going to be a trip to the waterpark. But not just yet, we have SO many more fun things coming in the next few days, and we can’t wait to end the trip off in the best way possible. Until next time fam & friendsss!!!
Love y’all,
Gretchen, Jared & Sadie
Shoutouts & Thank You’s:
July 16, 2024
Last, but very not least, MAU 3B came in hot and ready to roll! Our kiddos landed safe and sound and kicked off our trip with none other than a first night on Moondance ritual: PIZZA! With tired eyes and stuffed bellies, we called it a night and slept hard knowing the next 2 weeks will be something we’ll definitely remember.
Friday morning we hit the road to make it to day 1 of windsurfing!! And a windy day at that – but it didn’t stop the kids from trying their hardest and making the most out of such a challenging day. Adelaide was able to create speed with her sail and headed straight out to sea! We then walked down the beach and parked it for the afternoon. Cold sandwiches and first swim of the trip just couldn’t have made the day any better. We soaked in a lot of sun and swam around in the clear blue water, yet decided to head back to camp to spend some time there in the daylight. A warm meal of chicken and pasta with pesto or red sauce came in clutch for an immaculate dinner by chef Jared & cook crew, ending the best first day of THIRD SESSION!
Saturday came faster than we knew it, and so did Jared’s breakfast burritos! We headed up to Lahaina to work with Kipuka Olowalu for the education on Hawaiian culture and working at the removal of invasive species. Ella and Lilla got to work and showed up the rest of their group with their hard work and determination of clearing the plot of weeds. Afterwards, we headed to the beach for a late lunch and quick swim.. however.. this quick swim turned into Byrne and Quinn body surfing every wave for the next two hours. Then, we got back home and hung out with Griff as he introduced himself to the kids. We prepared Mediterranean bowls for dinner, scarfed them down, and ended a fun-filled day with moonup!
With the Maui swell coming in, the kids got to sleep in and have a late morning. As M&M pancakes were filling the air with a delicious smell, Dahra and Caroline brought their “skills” to the kitchen. As they put me and my perfect golden brown pancakes up for a challenge (Hey y’all! Gretchen here!), they decided to make scrambled pancakes – which they promise are better than they sound (and look..)! We then hung out around camp in the enos and cleaned up as a reset for the rest of the trip. With a long van ride ahead of us, we stopped in Kahului for food trucks – smash burgers, toast, pad see ew, fried chicken, smoothies & all! Once getting past Lahaina and up to Kapalua, we ventured around Slaughterhouse beach, our favorite spot in Maui! It’s so peaceful and the view is nothing short of breathtaking. As we pulled back up to camp, the kids ran to the enos while cook crew prepared a stellar taco bowl meal. While the day winded down, you can find Brooks and William on their continuing journey of cowboy camping, ready for a good nights sleep after a long and deep Moonup underneath a starry Haleakala sky.
& a good morning to an unexpected action filled day! The swell crept up on us once again, so our plans rerouted from Makena to Wailuku. We arrived to the Iao Valley and started playing riddles, bringing laughs and persistence into figuring out the codes. Then, we headed into the valley by following the trail upstream. It was incredible to read and see the needle, after learning about the stories of such a sacred place. With a change in action, we surprised the kids with a round of putt putt and shaved ice for being so patient with a crazy day. Harper demonstrated excellent coordination in putt putt, while Margaret challenged herself to twist the rules for her own enjoyment.. between the legs, opposite hands, no looking and all. Shortly after this, we headed down the road for a beach pit stop to watch some surfers and cool off in the water while we killed time before our cooking class! La Kahea community farms did it once again with the incredible venison tacos, beet salad, and unforgettable coleslaw. I’m not sure if it was the limeade, banana macadamia nut ice cream, or feeding the massive pigs that called for a perfect end to a whirlwind of a day. With many giggles and maybe the best nug jug yet, we couldn’t be more thankful to have the kids that we do for handling such a crazy day with a positive attitude and contagious energy.
It’s hard to believe third session is already here, but we’re just getting started! Though the Maui swell is upon us, it won’t stop us from having fun and making everlasting memories with the bright souls that surround us. More updates to come.. but for now.. A Hui Hou & MAHALO!
Gretchen, Jared & Sadie
July 12, 2024
Hi Maui Families!
All students have arrived safely and the trip is off to a great start! We can’t wait to share more updates from their adventure.
Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
