Sponsor a Mile : Great Alabama 650
Sponsor a mile of my 650-mile solo paddle and help create opportunities for Pasifika youth in Tasman.
Tasman
In October, I’m heading to the United States to take on another big paddling challenge ; the Great Alabama 650.
At 650 miles (1,046km), it is the longest paddle race in the United States and the longest paddle race in the world that a solo racer can attempt.
After the incredible support we received during the Yukon 1000 (raised $12,745.08), I want to use this next adventure to continue raising funds for Pasifika youth in the Tasman region through the Fa’avae Pasifika Fund, administered by the Top of the South Community Foundation.
The idea is simple:
650 miles × $10 per mile = $6,500
I’m inviting people, families and businesses to sponsor a mile for $10. Sponsor one mile, ten miles, or as many as you like.
Every dollar raised goes into the Fa’avae Pasifika Fund, which was established to create opportunities and experiences for Pasifika youth in our local community, helping build confidence, connection, aspiration and a stronger sense of what is possible.
I’ll do the paddling. You can help make the miles count for something beyond the race.
Every mile. Every dollar. Real impact.
Thank you for getting behind the journey.
Nathan Fa'avae's involvement (page creator)
My parents established the Fa’avae Pasifika Fund to support Pasifika youth in my local Tasman community and create opportunities for them to thrive.
Use of funds
All funds raised will go to the Fa’avae Pasifika Fund, administered by the Top of the South Community Foundation, to support opportunities and experiences for Pasifika youth in the Tasman region.
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Latest update
Alabama 650 : A Huge Thank You! 17 October 2026
Well, that was quite an adventure!
When I signed up for the Alabama 650, I expected 1,000 km of paddling, very little sleep and plenty of challenges. What I hadn't planned on was a hurricane joining the race!
Mother Nature had other ideas, and while the race didn't go quite as hoped, the fundraising certainly did.
Together, we raised an incredible $4,702 through the Alabama 650 Sponsor a Mile campaign! (I paddled 400-miles)
Combined with our Yukon 1000 fundraising earlier this year, that's a remarkable NZ$17,447.08 for the Fa'avae Pasifika Fund!
A massive, heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed. Whether you sponsored a mile or several, your generosity means so much.
Our long-term vision is to grow the Fa'avae Pasifika Fund through the Top of the South Community Foundation, building an investment fund whose returns will eventually support opportunities and experiences for Pasifika youth, generation after generation.
I love the thought that the miles we paddle today might help a young person discover their own adventure tomorrow.
The races come and go, the blisters heal, the sleep deprivation wears off, and even hurricanes eventually move on, but hopefully the positive impact of what we're building will last for generations.
Thank you for being part of this journey. $17,447.08 is an extraordinary sum, and something we can all be proud of.
The Alabama adventure is over, but the bigger adventure is only beginning.
Fa'afetai tele lava!
Nathan Fa'avae
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