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Stuck without a paddle

The first wave of dignitaries is sent out on the lake to begin soliciting funds in support of “PADDLE” a community based program that provides various services for adults with special needs.

The first wave of dignitaries is sent out on the lake to begin soliciting funds in support of  “PADDLE”  a community based program that provides various services for adults with special needs. PHOTO by: Ryan Perry

Rotaract North Bay held its 7th annual “Up the Creek Without a Paddle” fundraising event and surpassed its goal of 10-thousand dollars. The action took place at Olmstead beach where a group of North Bay dignitaries were loaded onto a boat with no guarantees of coming back to shore.

“We wanted to create a unique idea, so we thought why not strand people on Trout Lake in a dragon boat until they raise pledges and come to shore,” shared organizer Meaghan Byrnes.

The groups were of course supervised and were out on the water for no more than an hour. Each person had a cell phone and a pledge sheet and could be seen dialing once the boat left the dock.

Once the boats came back, 11-thousand dollars was raised, bringing the total to 75-thousand in since the event began seven years ago.

The money raised will go to PADDLE. It’s a community-based program that provides adults with special needs lifelong learning experiences through academics, physical fitness, life skills education, recreation and leisure.

To learn more about PADDLE visit. http://www.paddlenorthbay.ca

If you are interested in making a donation please contact Meaghan Byrnes at 705-492-2660.