Mission
To partner with charities and nonprofit causes to raise awareness and funds for thier causes.
A Little Bit about Paddle Challenge
A Paddle Challenge is an event where teams of paddlers compete using 29' Voyageur style canoes. Paddle Challenges are designed to create community interest and financial support for the cause of nonprofit organizations.
A Paddle Challenge can be a community short race event where teams sponsored by local businesses and organizations pay an entry fee for participation; an excursion to a destination where each paddler raises individual sponsorship for their participation; and, a longer race where various segments of a community come together to support a team which is competing against other community supported teams.
All the proceeds in these events benefit the nonprofit causes organizing the events. Causes who have benefited from Paddle Challenges in the past include Rotary Clubs, community recreation projects, the Ridge Trail Association, youth camps, Camp Friendship (a camp for those with special needs), Our Children's Academy (a school for children with special needs), charitable service organizations, and other organizations serving those with disabilities.
History of Paddle Challenge
In 2003, a team building company, Wild Creek Adventures, assisted the Breakfast Rotary Club of Lake Wales, FL, conduct a Paddle Challenge using 29' Voyageur Canoes. The purpose was to help generate community interest and financial support for a youth soccer field. In the next few years various central Florida charities asked for similar assistance with over $100,000 being raised through Paddle Challenges.
Wild Creek Adventures made the commitment to focus its efforts on raising interest and funds for those serving people with special needs beginning with 2011. As a result Wild Creek Adventures has partnered with Removing the BarriersInitiative, a national nonprofit organization providing resources to those who serve people with disabilities, to create Paddle Challenges not only in its home state of Florida, but throughout the entire United States.
We are continually looking for Paddle Challenge locations and partnerships.
About Bill Redmon, owner Paddle Challenge
The visionary behind the concept is Bill Redmon, owner of Wild Creek Adventures. Bill is a former youth camp director with extensive paddling experience. He launched a team building company in 2002 called Wild Creek Adventures to work within the for-profit corporate community with clients as large as Cargill to as small as a first grade class. However, his heart is with the nonprofit sector with a special concern for those who have disabilities. His hope is to remove barriers to great experiences through adaptive facilities and activities.
