August 27, 2015 West Bay Rotary Meeting

August 27, 2015

West Bay Rotary

 

Dr. Deb Walters

Kayak for Safe Passage Kids

Grandmother Paddling to Maine to Guatemala for Kids of the Guatemalan Dump

 

First question asked – why would anyone want to do that?

Or from the media - What went wrong in your life that led you to this?

 

11 years ago she traveled to Guatemala on a trip & visited the garbage dump where about 10,000 people live.  While she was there she saw so many examples of Safe Passage’s success:

The students in the Safe Passage program have to complete two grades per year.

The graduates are earning 5x more than other grads

 

To support this important program, Deb decided to combine passion for the children with her passion for long distance kayaking.

 

Safe Passage started as an after school program – about 4 years ago we completed a strategic plan.  Education is the mission and they began to slowly convert this program from an afterschool program to a full day school program.  This program is now a model school

 

What’s the route?

Travel around Atlantic Coast and Gulf of Mexico.  Sections of the coast in Mexico were managed by different drug cartels.  Gave up on doing trip due to safety obstacles – New plan allowed for her to be sailed to Mexico and then paddle the 200 miles to Guatemala.

 

Expedition Experience?

Yes – She has paddled with whales, alligators and polar bears in the Arctic.  She got flipped out of her kayak by an accidental run-in with a manatee.

 

You should never kayak alone but this expedition allows her the opportunity to interact with local people and animals.  It also allows her to restore her soul.  She thinks a little bit of fear is a good thing.  Not a mind numbing fear.

 

She decided to make this trip in a 16 year old wooden kayak that she made - It was rebuilt for safety.  She also travels with a little bit of gear including a tent from Norway, camping, paddling gear, bug suits.  Technology – computer, 4 cameras, sound recorder, VHF radio, GPS, cell phone, satellite communicator and all of their chargers.

 

Satellite communicator has an SOS button that allows for her to communicate with family and Coast Guard if needed.  It also provides an update of her location every 10 minutes.  The device also allows two way texting.  She had 385 pounds of gear in the boat; the weight was decreased the weight by half by the end of the trip.

 

The children of Guatemala thought that she would be lonely so they sent her with a toy The Patito Amistoso – Friendly duck.  She and the duck blogged during her journey.

 

In Sandy Hook, NJ – there was a military facility and she accidentally traveled inside of the security zone. 

She was approached by a large speed boat with many soldiers in all black.  She was told that she could be fined $500, that it was a federal offense with several years jail time and that they had the authority to shoot her.  Instead she left the security zone under the protection of the Coast Guard.

 

Hosts – Her rotary club in Unity called up Rotarians along the way and they hosted her so that she wouldn’t need to camp. 

 

In South Carolina her plans went awry.  When she started the trip she got 4 different medical diagnoses – brace, drugs, exercises – she had a massively herniated disc.  She had to have emergency disc surgery.  Should she carry on or stop?  Her husband agreed to come down with the car and she continued with the speaking portion of the trip.  Then she met the sailing crew that took her all the way to Guatemala City.

 

She had pledged to paddle over 2,500 miles and she finished at “only” 1,500 miles.  She wants to finish the trip.  The sail boat wasn’t available – but she got an Innova inflatable kayak that she can put on a plane.  She only has three states and two countries to go. 

 

She exceeded her original fundraising goal and raised - $395,985.00 that went to Safe Passage.

 

She has gotten amazing media coverage – 112 TV segments across the nation on one day alone.  Fox News – Powered by Paddle and Passion

#1 most intriguing person in Maine – DownEast Magazine

 

Only possible due to Rotary and corporate sponsors.

 

Q&A

What three States still left to tackle

South Carolina, Georgia & Florida

Belize, Guatemala

 

Many Americans living in Belize?

Yes – safer than Guatemala.  There are benefits and drawbacks.

 

What is the biggest need at Safe Passage?

Global grant to develop curriculum for the school.  Greatest challenge – getting the Locals involved as well.  BOD is now half Guatemalan.  We need to get folks to go & visit. 

 

How was your mental state during the trip?

Each morning it felt like jumping off a cliff to get back into the kayak.  Each host family tells you about their harrowing experiences in “the next harbor”.  The mental challenges are the toughest.  She only seriously considered stopping after the surgery, but so many were counting on her.

 

 

 

Did the children have an appreciation for the distance she traveled?

The kids created a huge map with a moveable image of Deb in her kayak.  It was a geography lesson for them too.

 

How did the weather impact your schedule?

Had to keep a schedule due to speaking engagements.  She skipped about 4 places as a result of bad weather.  She found out later that on one occasion that the NOAA’s site had been hacked so weather forecast wasn’t accurate.

 

Total of federal fines? $0

 

Cate Lamb passed away Sunday evening, August 23 at the Sussman House

Memorial gifts – Shields Mission Project – checks made out to Shields Mission Project

 

Rotary Leadership Institute – capability of sending folks – would need to know by next week.

We welcomed international Rotary students and sent off our international student.

Mark Masterson - showed off new safety vests for Rotary volunteers.

Chowder Challenge – Labor Day weekend.  We’re going to need help.

We need 10 more sponsorships for this event.

September 16 – refurbish the toboggan chute

October 24 – Habitat for Humanity project

 

Maine Coast Heritage Trust – looking for drivers to deliver produce to non-profits.

 

Susan Dorr – Fellowship – Contemplating a lobster picnic – Thursday, September 24. 

Sign-ups next week.

 

BOD meeting postponed to 9/9

 

Next week’s speaker:  Holly Campbell will give her classification talk.