Good people doing good!

Good people doing good!

Since we started going out and talking to people about wildfire prevention and on-water safety, we’ve met some amazing people from all over North America.

Take the case of Linda and Gary DeKock. The Michigan couple’s favorite charity is Water for People, and they’re currently paddling about 1,200 miles on five different rivers in five states to take pledges and raise money for that organization. (They, and a handful of friends, also volunteer an insane amount of time to put on the Quiet Water Symposium, one of the best paddling shows on the continent.)

Linda and Gary currently are paddling the Wisconsin River, and the pair recently came through our area in the center of the state. I had the chance to meet up with them in Merrill, where we had to sit out a thunderstorm in Sawmill Brewing – yes, river life is hard!  🙂  Jan and I also were able to host them for an enjoyable overnight visit and take some on-river photos several days later when they passed through the Wisconsin Rapids area.

It’s inspiring to see what they’re doing, and how much good they’ve already done. You see, Linda and Gary also paddled the Mississippi River from source-to-sea a few years ago to raise funds for the same organization…and I have a suspicion that they’re not done with these charitable trips yet.

You can learn more about their amazing journey by going to the “Paddle with Purpose Rive Voyages” page on Facebook.

What does this have to do with The Outdoor Kind, LLC, you ask?  Absolutely nothing! We just thought you might want to hear about good people doing good things. There are more good deeds and everyday kindnesses happening out there than we can ever imagine, and it’s nice to be reminded of that every now and then.

Here’s hoping everyone out there is enjoying the summer…

cheers,
jvb

 

John (left) and Gary, waiting out the thunderstorm at Sawmill Brewing in Merrill, Wisconsin. (Photo by Linda DeKock.)

 

Planning route specifics. From left, Linda, Gary and Jan compare notes on the upcoming river sections.