For 20 years Jessie Stone has been organizing a whitewater kayaking camp for local kids that have some disadvantages or challenges in life. She works with a local organization to find kids that would like to try something new. Boys and Girls Harbor of NY (Harlem) was the first program, followed by Graham-Winham School (started by Alexander Graham’s Wife), and now it is “Green Chimneys”. In the beginning it was kids who were taken out of their homes due to it being unsafe for them, or unsafe for their parents or guardians. Then it was a combo of challenges that the kid’s faced, each one needing something in their lives. This year was no different, with a group of 12 kids signed up, and 8 made it to graduation. Two didn’t show up on day 1 and 2 couldn’t make the final day. Sean Coffee, a school administrator, turned consultant, and a kayaker, brought Emrod, Brendan, and JV (originally from Brazil). Green Chimneys brought Adam, Finn, Alex, Michele (lifeguard), Jamie (teacher), and Luke.
Here is how I like to describe it:
Jessie Stone is making the world a better place. Jessie
is offering these kids from the urban jungle a chance to become whitewater
kayakers providing them quite the contrast from their everyday lives.
Her organization, Soft Power Health is dedicated to making the lives of
others more fruitful by helping individuals one at a time. The concept
of “Soft Power” is in contrast to military might. The philosophy
is that true lasting positive change can only be implemented through helping
others overcome their personal hardships through education and opportunities.
I am paraphrasing and extrapolating from Jessie’s description of it to
me, however, I think I am getting it right.
This camp proved that there are great leaders, and
individuals willing to go outside of their comfort zones to achieve their
goals. They showed that they can act as a team to get the job done. NYC
has some great kids and I am happy to have met and worked with some of
them.
Emily, Nick, Jessie, Andy, KC, and Tucker, and I were the “instructors”. KC provided comic relief as a fellow 13 year old. Tucker showed that even 8 year olds can paddle the river with confidence. Emily and Nick coming straight from teaching in Idaho, took the lead on instruction, which was cool. I typically lead instruction anytime I am involved, but having somebody else who wants to, and can do it, from start to finish is fun for me to just hang back and plug in when needed.
The majority of the instructional fleet are 2004 Fun series kayaks that are from 2004, 2005, and 2006. It is like a museum of JK boats. There are some newer models that made their way in over the years and 2 new Zens are now in the fleet.
This year every kid could swim. Last year there was swimming lessons needed before we could even start teaching kayaking. Green Chimney’s is an amazing facility in Brewster, NY and is based on farming and teaching kids through caretaking animals and plants as a theme. Kristine thinks it is the coolest school she has ever seen.
Jessie in enthralled with the miniature donkeys that are used like therapy animals. Jessie got her therapy this week!
The school has a swimming pool and we got most everyone rolling. On the third day of camp we did a run down the Delaware River in Port Jervis. It is a perfect for a first river run. Only a couple of flips on that run and all smiles. We got to play around some too, of course- Mary Lou over the kids’ boats, etc.. It created a bit of excitement for them… “what the #%#$?”
The final graduation day was on the Housatonic River in CT. At the “George’s Rapid” we hung out and ran it multiple times, different lines, and surfed the hole at the bottom. Adam created a huge algae ball the size of a softball.
The take out at the power house, due to low water provided swimming and it was where the “graduation ceremony” happened with Jessie leading the “final exam questions” of each student before giving them an Orion Nalgene water bottle signed by the instructors.
Michele from Green Chimneys gave each Instructor a gift bag with a T-shirt and a coffee mug based on a flower pot to represent the farming at the school. Very nice!
The kids did amazing, and several really opened up over the week and all of them made huge strides and really got their paddling going. Several want to be kayakers for the future.
That is what we like to hear!
Great job Dr. Jessie Stone for the 20th year in a row!
🙂
EJ