We met on this very beach nearly ten years ago as two Americorps volunteers in the Ocean Beach School District shortly after Kaiah moved from southern Illinois.

Annika decided the position at her alma mater Ilwaco High School was not the right path for her, and she began serving tables at SALT Hotel & Pub down the street.

Kaiah excelled in his position, helping teach STEM classes and physical education at Ilwaco Middle School. But when he noticed Annika stopped showing up, he knew where to find her - pouring beer and mixing cocktails behind the bar at the SALT Hotel & Pub.

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