The 3rd annual Family and Friends Climb-a-thon was another success!!
With your help, we were able to raise more than $20K to help continue to make adventure education possible!!
We leave every Waypoint event feeling such an overwhelming warmth, appreciation and gratitude for the Waypoint community. This event was no exception. Thank you again for your donations, climbs and blisters. We had a fantastic time and hope you all did too!
It’s the third year of the Waypoint Adventure Leaders-In-Training program. Young adults with disabilities are engaging again in 2019 with real-life challenges within a supportive environment and learning goal-setting and attainment skills. This is an ENERGETIC crew and we’ve loved watching them grow already. These young leaders are going to be contributing members of their communities!
The High Ropes Course started it all off in May. Each LIT had to decide how high they wanted to swing on the Giant Swing and rose to the challenge. All while their teammates pulled them up! Everyone started meaningful friendships off on the right foot through a shared experience together.
In June, we hit the trails of Ward Reservation in Andover practicing navigation and learning water-purification skills to prepare for the September backpacking trip. We started Life Stories too, where a few people in the group share their Life Story over lunch and we take turns over the course of the series. At the end of each Life Story, we have a call and response. Group: “We hear you”; Story Teller: “I am heard”; Story Teller: “Do you accept me?”; Group: “You Belong Here!”
In July at Harold Parker State Forest, we actually had to move our adventure up a few hours and cut it short due to the 100 degree heat advisory! What a hot July! But this crew toughed it out, learned all about kayaking in small groups and then had to share what they had learned with the big group and/or their paddle partner. This brought out real-life scenarios of needing each other. And on top of that, everyone was given the challenge of attempting the wet exit! With the hot day, several people took that challenge and flipped their boat over and then did a on-the-water re-entry!
In August, the LITs REALLY had to put their leadership to the test when young kids from the community came to learn kayaking from them! We did a quick refresher in the morning and then after lunch, everyone had a job to do or a skill to teach. Once everyone was ready on land, we all went for a paddle on the Charles River in Waltham with the kids in the tandem kayaks.
In September, we had our big backpacking trip in the White Mountains. This is no ordinary camping trip! Everyone comes to a Pre-Trip Meeting to go over the packing list and what to expect and then Saturday morning, bright and early, everyone arrives and gets a BIG backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and has to take group gear and tent pieces and fit it all in their bag. We drove up to Lincoln Woods in Lincoln, NH near Loon Mountain and hiked back to the Franconia Brook tentsites to set up camp, getting caught in a brief rain shower right at the end. We cooked dinner on camp stoves, purified water from the river, told the remaining Life Stories and slept in tents. It was the first of this type of experience for many in the group! We ended with a “solo” journaling time by the river the next morning and then hiked out and drove home. What a bonding experience for everyone!
And to end it all in October, we heard from 3 adults in the community with disabilities through a panel discussion talking about what life has been like for them as they’ve worked through the in’s and out’s of transitioning into adulthood. These 3 people, Kamisha Heriveaux, Melissa Bradley, and Zach Trickett have a lot of experience when it comes to navigating employment, living situations, social situations and friendships and had good advice to share with our LITs. Parents and siblings came too and afterwards, everyone got a chance to take on one last challenge and go rock climbing at Central Rock Gym in Watertown! One of the LITs, Harry, has some extensive rock climbing experience so he got to lead the group in learning some basics about equipment and how to use it correctly to keep you safe.
Looking for a fun afternoon of camaraderie, competition, exercise, and the opportunity to raise awareness and funds for Waypoint Adventure? COME BE A PART! Check out pictures from last year!
WHEN? Saturday, October 26, 2019 from 1-4pm
WHERE? Central Rock Gym, 74 Acton St, Watertown MA 02472
WHAT IS IT? An opportunity to gather a group of friends to go indoor rock climbing AND raise awareness and revenue for Waypoint Adventure.
HOW MANY PEOPLE MAKE UP A TEAM? Teams can be made up of 2-10 individual climbers.
WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A TEAM? No worries! We will be organizing teams of individual Waypoint supporters just like you!
WHAT IF I’VE NEVER CLIMBED BEFORE? No problem! All ages and all skill-levels are welcome. We’ll have the necessary equipment and plenty of extra belayers around to make sure you get to the top of as many climbs as you want.
WHAT ABOUT THE “FUNDRAISING” PART? We are asking every climber to raise a minimum of $100 to support Waypoint Adventure transformational adventure-programs. We’ll even provide you with plenty of materials and videos that you can send to family and friends to raise support for your team.
CAN I VOLUNTEER TO HELP OUT WITH THE EVENT? We need 20 volunteers to help belay at the event, and 5 others to help with greeting, registration and raffle. Contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Steve, at sdastous@waypointadventure.org or 781-325-7980.
WHAT IF I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? Contact Miriam at mtalamini@waypointadventure.org or 781-325-7980.
Check out Pictures from Last Year!
24 Programs! Our biggest partnership ever! What an awesome year it has been with the thriving Special Education Department of Somerville Public Schools. Thanks to a Cummings Foundation grant the Somerville SPED Department received and the tireless efforts of Wellness Coordinator and friend, Caitlin Kelly, Waypoint was BACK in Somerville for the 2018-2019 school year designing and facilitating quality adventure-education programs for 19 different classes across the district. Social-Emotional Learning was happening on these programs: students immersed in problem solving scenarios, supported by the process of learning and community, and given the right to take on challenging experiences and we saw it in action – the perfect recipe for character building come to life.
These programs were not just work for us. The buy-in from teachers and administrators made this series a joy to facilitate. We even had volunteers come out on one program and come back again and again and again because of how much fun they had just being a part of these days! Shoutout to Jim Bradley, Sylvana Weinstein, and some awesome repeat groups from Definitive Cares and The Shady Hill School. This community is vibrant and excelling because of your support!
You HAVE to peruse some of the pictures below. It felt like a family photo album putting these together and laughing about ridiculous things that happened on programs and awesome students, teachers, and volunteers we met along the way. Here are some snapshots from all of the programs we ran with Somerville during 2018-2019:
10/25/18 Ropes Course at Hale Reservation
11/14/18 Hike in the Middlesex Fells
12/19/18 Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Watertown
1/9/19 Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Watertown
1/11/19 Hike at Prospect Hill in Waltham
1/15/19 Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Watertown
1/23/19 Hike at Ward Reservation in Andover
1/30/19 Indoor Kayaking at the Kennedy School in Somerville
2/5/19 Hike at Ward Reservation in Andover
2/13/19 Indoor Kayaking at the Kennedy School in Somerville
2/27/19 Indoor Kayaking at the Kennedy School in Somerville
3/19/19 Hike at Harold Parker State Forest in Andover
3/27/19 Indoor Kayaking at the Kennedy School in Somerville
3/28/19 Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Watertown
4/2/19 Outdoor Rock Climbing at Hammond Pond in Newton
4/10/19 Hike at Breakheart Reservation in Wakefield
4/24/19 Hike at Lynn Woods in Lynn
5/1/19 Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Watertown
5/15/19 Hike at Lynn Woods in Lynn
5/16/19 Hike at Prospect Hill in Waltham
5/23/19 Outdoor Rock Climbing at Hammond Pond in Newton
5/24/19 Hike at Breakheart Reservation in Wakefield
5/29/19 Indoor Kayaking at the Kennedy School in Somerville
6/5/19 Kayaking on the Charles River in Allston
We can’t thank our site partners from Central Rock Gym, Paddle Boston – Charles River Canoe and Kayak, Kennedy School Pool, and Massachusetts DCR enough for supporting this programming. THANK YOU!
And THANK YOU to all the students for participating, and the teachers and administrators that helped coordinate transportation, get forms filled out, opened the pool, and made sure adventure programming fit seamlessly into your curriculum. We believe it’s so important and it’s encouraging to see others agree. Looking forward to next year!
It started in February and ended in May: The Best Buddies program at Cotting School planned three different “Waypoint adventures” for three different pairs of buddies. The series was centered on group and individual growth and championed inclusion. Diverse students learning together and challenging themselves alongside one another promotes the best sort of growth. It was such a pleasure designing this series! Thanks Best Buddies for this model to live by.
The first program was open to Middle School students at Cotting School in Lexington and Meadowbrook School in Weston. Click link below to check out the story we published in February on this program and one student, Thulasi, in particular that surprised her peers, teachers, and even her dad!
https://www.waypointadventure.org/best-buddies-a-series-built-on-trust-and-accomplishment/
The second program got out into the March cold and hiked at Cutler Park in Needham. “Capstone” students at Cotting School (Ages 18-22) partnered up with college students at Lasell College and hit the trails. The group had to work together to navigate the trails, stay warm, and participate fully. It’s easier to hike when you have company!
And last, but not least, we ended back at Central Rock Climbing Gym with Upper School Students from Cotting School and Buckingham Browne & Nichols in Cambridge. The goal was the same: use high challenge to facilitate connection between diverse students. It was an awesome end to this series we’ve loved and a great memory-maker for all involved.
Partnering with our friends from Spaulding Adaptive Sports Centers on a series of adaptive rock climbing programs is a true honor and a highlight every year.
Grit, determination, community, joy, the “I CAN” spirit…the list goes on. These programs always bring together incredible groups of people who have the same vision for trying hard things and showing themselves and other people that their disability doesn’t have to keep them from an active and enjoyable lifestyle.
Big thanks to Central Rock Watertown, Gordon College LaVida and the Gleason Family YMCA for hosting us. Y’all are amazing!
We see it all the time, but it never gets old: Participants and their communities surprised at what they can achieve when they accept a challenge and are given support through that challenge.
Thulasi arrived for our climbing program with Best Buddies fully expecting to just watch. Her goals were social – she would just hang out with her friends from Cotting School, her new “Buddies” from Meadowbrook School, and watch others climb. But after engaging in the group activities and feeling support from her friends the option was presented to her and she changed her mind. Girded by the support of classmates and friends, Thulasi climbed to the very top!
Thulasi’s dad choked up in our closing circle. He said “I am constantly surprised by my daughter. I never thought she would climb! But seeing her at the top was a great reminder of what she is capable of.” Thulasi pushing her limits on the rock wall changed things for her dad that day. Thulasi’s confidence certainly grew, but so did the understanding of those that love and support her.
Waypoint Adventure and Best Buddies (an organization spanning 123 different cities and 14 different countries) are teaming up in 2019 for a 3-program-series designed to provide “Buddy” pairs experiences in trust building and real life challenges. Relationships that go deep are founded on trust and vulnerability and what better way to make new friends than on a challenging adventure where support is vital! Middle School pairs of students from Meadowbrook School and Cotting School were the first in this 3-program series and the kick-off was a resounding success!
We’re thrilled to be working with students like Thulasi and organizations like Best Buddies for the opportunity to break down misconceptions of abilities and barriers to access so all can experience powerful transformation!
We’re super excited to, once again, partner with Spaulding Rehab Hospital to offer 4 adaptive rock climbing programs throughout Greater Boston in 2019!
These programs provide a supportive and challenging environment for beginners and experienced climbers alike. During this program, you will be signing up for a one hour session where you will be encouraged to challenge your limitations and attain your goals – all within the framework of self-discovery and fun! Waypoint and Spaulding will provide all adaptive equipment, personal instruction, and trained staff who will support and instruct you as you experience the benefits and freedom that are found in this amazing sport!
CLICK THE IMAGE TO SEE A LARGER VIEW OF THE FLYER
We just wrapped up an awesome Rock Climbing series with LABBB Collaborative! It’s not often a group will contact us and say they want to do a focused series on one adventure-type in particular, but this school was all for it! They wanted to progress in their rock climbing and self-confidence skills!
LABBB Collaborative, based in Bedford, Massachusetts, serves students with disabilities from Lexington, Arlington, Belmont, Burlington, and Bedford and helps them reach their potential by integrating academics, social, recreational, and vocational services. This was year-two of an awesome Waypoint+LABBB partnership and 6 participants this year really progressed! We spent four Wednesday nights at Central Rock Gym in Watertown raising the bar for each individual’s level of challenge and working on autonomous decision-making. With ample time devoted to all the skills of rock climbing, each participant got a chance to learn knots, all about gear, and even belaying!
By the end of the series, students were working hard, implementing climbing strategies, and were responsible for their own knot-tying and equipment! It was awesome to watch this group form and progress in skill. Check out pictures from our series!
As always, we are so grateful for all our volunteers (Mary and Jim!) and our partnership with Central Rock Gym. Without you all, we would not be able to run successful programs!
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!
Join the movement! Become a part of the Inclusive Adventure Club (IAC). Lets lead the way toward diversity in adventure and join the club where people with and without disabilities can experience adventure together!
Join us for adventures this 2019 where all people – regardless of ability share in the costs and rewards of an exciting experience. The thrill and fun of climbing or hiking can be even more rewarding when done alongside a diverse community. Sign up for all 3 programs or pick and choose.
Winter Summit Weekend is March 1-3, 2019
Fall Backpacking Weekend Sep 21-22, 2019
Rock Climbing November 23, 2019
All programs are “buy one slot; get a second half off.” Must be 16 or over to sign up. Info on times and locations to be given upon registration. Scholarships are available.
