Ke Ola Magazine: By Fern Gavelek
KeOlaMagazine.com | January - February 2019
You’ve read about well-known people such as pacemaker inventor Earl Bakken and landowner/steward Ed Olson. Musicians such as Cyril Pahinui and Kahulani. Artists such as Kathy Long and craft maker Ika Vea have been featured. There have been stories about landmarks, like Hiloʻs Palace Theater and Captain Cook’s Manago Hotel. Cultural topics have included the Royal Order of Kamehameha I: Moku O Keawe and the Myths and Legends of Maunakea. And the list goes on… The life of Hawai‘i Island’s people, culture, land, ocean, spirit, art, and businesses have been chronicled for a full decade in Ke Ola Magazine, which marks its 10th anniversary with this issue. More than 850 Hawai‘i Island subjects have been covered in the free magazine’s 60 issues. While Ke Ola’s format has evolved over the years, it still remains true to its vision, to share “the life” of those who live here with those who love it here. Publisher Barbara Garcia says the success of the magazine is rooted in following that course. An excerpt from the inaugural issue explains it best: “Ke Ola, in Hawaiian, ‘the life,’ is what this magazine is all about … a magazine not only for the people who live here (or dream of living here), it is brought to you by people who live here … We will seek out ways to reflect our readers’ pictures and stories that remind us of why we live here.”
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Starting Out Ke Ola was founded in 2008 as a collaboration between Barbara and Karen Valentine. The two entrepreneurs, who had worked together at the former Hawaii Island Journal, each had their own dream of creating a magazine for Hawai‘i Island. They decided to join forces serving as co-publishers, with each juggling different responsibilities. “It was a time of economic downturn, which we thought was an opportunity, because competition was less and we could launch it on a shoestring,” recalls Karen. “There was no magazine that was designed specifically for the local [resident] population, many of whom had moved here from elsewhere and didn’t know the real Hawai‘i.” Barbara agrees, saying “Hawai‘i Island deserved its own magazine, like Honolulu, Maui, and Kauai all have their own. These stories needed to be documented in print, and the local businesses needed an alternative for reaching new customers." With a 30year passion for helping small businesses grow, Barbara wanted to create an affordable platform to help them with a successful marketing outreach. Karen, a seasoned publisher, writer, and graphic artist who had already founded four successful Michigan publications, said the vision of Ke Ola came to her “as the chance to put my interests of art, people, culture, and sustainability into one magazine.” The owners divided duties. Barbara focused on advertising sales, marketing, and distribution while Karen took on the roles of editor, artistic director, and print production. “We found, through the magazine’s reception, that readers welcomed our type of storytelling,” remembers Barbara. “The original reason of providing an affordable means for small businesses to reach new customers was soon overshadowed by the masterpiece of editorial content that filled our pages. I never imagined how wonderful and well received the stories would be.” Karen adds, “I think we hit a chord, because Ke Ola was embraced by the public, as well as advertisers, who wanted to reach discerning residents. With its beautiful covers, it invites people to pick it up, and many visitors choose to subscribe because it reminds them of the magic they found here.”
Ke Ola Magazine co-creators, Barbara Garcia and Karen Valentine, at the December 2008 launch party.