A night to honor Super CW

I want to share an event announcement that’s close to my heart. My Dîner en Blanc event partner, Malie, and I have been working together to create events for over a decade, and part of what has made those events special is the people who have shown up not just as guests but as partners. It was the leaders who set the mood and the friends who helped create the vibe from the start, turning nights into meaningful traditions filled with magic.

One of those people was Christa Wittmier.

Christa was our friend, resident DJ, and party starter, and she had a rare gift for reading a crowd and making every single person feel as if the night were made for them. She was part of what made Dîner en Blanc feel like home.

Before she passed, Christa channeled that same energy and generosity into something that will outlast all of us: the Aloha Cancer Project, an organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by cancer, with a focus on compassion, community, and holistic approaches to healing. It’s exactly the kind of thing Christa would have built.

This year, the Aloha Cancer Project is hosting its inaugural Aloha Tequila Festival, a fundraiser at International Marketplace on June 20th, and we’d love for our DEB community to show up for it the way you’ve always shown up for us.

It’s a night out with purpose. Good drinks, good people, and a chance to support something that honors Christa’s legacy in the most fitting way possible.

Get your tickets: alohatequilafest.com

Getting Personal: My Deep Dive on “Da Best Hawai‘i Unedited”

Hey everyone! If you’ve followed my career over the years, whether you were hanging out with me on the radio at Star 101.9, waking up with me on the morning news, or seeing me at local events, you know I’m usually the one asking questions. But recently, I got to sit on the other side of the microphone, and it turned into something truly special.

I recently sat down with my good friend Olena Heu for an episode of Da Best Hawaii Unedited. We’ve known each other for 26 years, dating back to our early days in radio, and catching up with her felt like no time had passed at all.

Olena is a fantastic interviewer and such a warm, kind human being. She creates a space that is so welcoming, which is probably why this ended up being the longest and most personal interview I’ve ever done. I had an absolute blast doing this, and she really got me to open up about things I rarely talk about publicly.

I really hope you’ll take some time to check out the episode. It’s authentic, it’s raw, and it’s just two old friends talking story about the wild ride of life.

Watch the full episode here: Da Best Hawaii Unedited – Maleko McDonnell

(You can also listen in on Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Apple Podcasts!)

Mahalo for all the support over the years!