Nine stand-up paddlers will be challenging the Georgia Strait on behalf of kids a half-a-world away. Will you stand to support them?
Paddling from Nanaimo to Vancouver, our nine paddlers will take as
long as 12 hours to cover as many as 80 kilometres while crossing the
Strait on June 29th, depending on conditions. In so
doing, they’ll face open seas, encounter marine life such as the pods
of orcas and dolphins Coastal BC’s been blessed to see lately, dodge
BC Ferries, and endure (hopefully) the summer sun. It’s all so they
can raise funds to support Ruben’s Shoes, a non-profit getting
much-needed footwear to kids in the Dominican Republic.
The nine paddlers are Harry Saini, Scott Burton, Ben Wright, Ken
Larsen, Adam Cole, David Jianu, Jason Bennet, Kelvin Hummeny and Norm
Hann, all striving to make life a little easier for kids who face
enough challenges without having to walk barefoot through them.
Want to help Ruben’s Shoes get it done? Click on our Fundrazr link and do your thing. We appreciate any
donation, any size. We’ll put it to good use.
This message has been approved by Ruben. And his shoes.
Ruben’s Shoes is a charity begun by Kelly Strongitharm, named after a
real boy in the Dominican Republic. Kelly became Ruben’s sponsor
through World Vision when he was just three years old. After seven
years of him tugging on her heartstrings in photos and letters, Kelly
flew to the D.R. and finally met Ruben.
Between them, it was an instant spark full of unconditional love
and total understanding that began right then. Ruben, Kelly says,
changed everything.
For her, he began a movement. Today, Ruben is now 12, and
Ruben’s Shoes has gotten well over 10,000 kids into much-needed footwear.
In many countries, children are forbidden from attending school if they simply lack shoes. Ruben's Shoes believes education is the most important tool we have to lift these countries above their economic strife, and that's why its mission is to collect shoes so these kids can attend school and change the world. Ruben's Shoes also fundraises in an effort to build needed community schools and dorms to ensure education remains a priority. The organization currently focuses its efforts on the Dominican Republic and Haiti, but will go where the help is needed in the months and years ahead.
Learn more about Ruben and Kelly’s first meeting here.
You can’t walk a mile in their shoes… but the shoes? Those you
can give them. Thanks for your support.
Visit N2V Nanaimo to Vancouver website for more details: http://www.nanaimo2vancouver.ca