Today we went kayaking for kids. The event was a fundraiser for Oakland Goes Outdoors (OGO), an organization with a mission to get Oakland middle school students outdoors. Sea Trek provided the logistical support for the event at their facility at Ballena Bay in Alameda.
All the participants for today’s paddle chipped in to help raise over $5000, all of which goes to OGO. We started the day with an introductory talk and introductions, then the Sea Trek crew helped get everybody in boats and on the water. We had a leisurely guided tour around the Ballena Bay lagoon and then a few of the more adventuresome paddlers went out onto the bay and around the island enjoying a little bit of the wind and the choppy water.
After the paddle OGO provided tasty sandwiches for lunch and a presentation about their program.
Getting kids outdoors has numerous benefits, including improved attentiveness, lower stress, reduced absenteeism and better academic performance.
In 2023-2024, more than 5,600 students from 23 schools participated in 221 trips during the regular school year. During the summer of 2024, they also coordinated 71 trips serving more than 1,650 students across the district.
Spending time in nature also helps kids develop an interest in environmental stewardship. That’s something I can support. If you’d like to donate, click here.
More photos of the paddle are available in an online gallery.
