Almost 80 kayakers hit the waves at Cane Bay Sunday, paddled the slightly choppy North Shore with a tail wind around Hamm’s Bluff, and landed at Frederiksted Beach. It wasn’t a race, but a fun kayaking pledge drive benefiting the kids at Queen Louise Home for Children.
The beach at Cane Bay was packed with all colors and styles of kayaks and with people of all ages, even as young as five-year-old Aiden Dascher, bustling about getting organized.
“It is for a good cause and we try not to miss it,” said Carey Guilbeau participating for her 10th time. “It is safe and fun and anybody can do it.”
There were two Coast Guard Auxiliary boats and other safety boats. Trent Waldo said first of all it is for the kids and added it is a lot of fun.
Kayakers in the 11th Kayak for Kids fundraiser paddled almost an hour, then stopped at Hams Bluff near Butler Bay for refreshments and rested for an hour. Novices could put in in the calmer waters of Butler Bay and do half the trip. Then they hit the aquamarine Caribbean sea again and on to a barbecue at Frederiksted Beach. The children from the home joined the kayakers at the barbecue.
J.T. Torres, owner of Villa Morales and one of the original organizers, said the first year they probably raised $200 and had a handful of kayakers.
“Every year it gets bigger and better with new people,” Torres said. “We get a lot of people who always come back every year.”
He said it couldn’t be done without all the volunteers who hold Queen Louise Home near to their hearts. Luther Edwards, president of the board of directors of Lutheran Social Services, which overees the home, said he is pleased with what the volunteers and the community does for the home. He said all of the pledge money raised by the participants will go for operating funds.
Junia Straker, financial officer for the home, said last year they raised $20,000 and this year they are hoping to get $25,000. There was a $50 fee to participate. Straker said they have a $700,000 fundraising goal for the year. She said pledges will keep coming in so she doesn’t know how much was raised, but they were pleased with some decent donations the home already received.
Also benefiting the home were sales of $5 raffle tickets. First prize was a four-night stay for four at Maho Bay Camp on St. John. There was a bottle of the locally famous Mamawana enhanced rum, a Villa Morales dinner gift certificate, jewelery from Crucian Gold and more.
Food and beverages were donated by Annaly Farms, Bellows International, Cost U Less, West Indies Corporation, Villa Morales and Staff.
