Waypoint Adventure Co-Hosts “Trails for All” Hike

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Advocate for more accessible trails in Massachusetts and support the Trails for All Bill!

Waypoint Adventure, Appalachian Mountain Club, and Unpaved Trails for All are hosting the Trails for All Hike on Friday, September 26th from 1-3pm at Belle Isle Marsh Reservation.

Register Today

There are over 4,000 miles of nature trails in Massachusetts state parks – yet less than 7.5 miles of natural surface woodland trails are considered accessible to people with limited mobility. That means nearly half the state – an estimated 36-49% of residents, including people with disabilities, older adults, and caregivers with young children – face unnecessary barriers to the benefits of outdoor recreation in their communities.

To change this, the Trail Access Working Group – led by the Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation – hosted the Accessible Trails Public Forum this past May. Held as part of the Trails for All initiative, the virtual event brought together people with disabilities, caregivers, advocates, and trail professionals to share their struggles and hopes for equitable access to nature.

From this, the Trails for All Act (S.548/H.915) was developed which seeks to establish a dedicated fund for accessible trails and implement the Working Group‘s recommendations.

To be clear: this isn’t about paving the woods. We value the full range of trail experiences in Massachusetts. But everyone should have access to a high-quality, welcoming outdoor experience in their own community – whether that means a quiet loop around a pond, a forest walk with a stroller, or a woodland trail that accommodates a mobility device.

Accessible trails don’t just offer recreation. They offer health, independence, belonging, and joy – especially for the nearly half of Massachusetts residents who benefit from accessible design.

Massachusetts has the chance to lead – to affirm that nature belongs to everyone, and no one should be left out because of how a trail is built. Join us on our hike on Sep 26th and let’s pass the Trails for All Act – making the outdoors truly open to all.

GROWTH FOR LIFE

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GROWTH FOR LIFE

Dear Waypoint Community,

Due to caronavirus concerns, we have canceled our April 2nd Annual Fundraiser. We will be releasing virtual alternatives that will still celebrate our 10-year anniversary, bid farewell to Co-Founder Adam Combs, and raise important funds. We will be sharing video messages from three members of the community that were selected as event speakers in the coming weeks to explain why Waypoint creates opportunities that allow growth for life.

I’m sure you can imagine this is a difficult reality, especially given that this is our biggest fundraiser throughout the year, bringing in 35% of our annual individual giving.  The average attendee of the spring fundraiser gives between $200 and $750. With initial projections expected to raise $80,000 and $20,000 lost in program revenue so far, we need your contributions toward raising 100K. If you feel led to generosity during this trying time, please help Waypoint continue into the next decade!

These friends of Waypoint had committed to inviting their friends and co-hosting this event. They’ve committed to giving their typical donation and we’re so grateful. Thank you to…

Cherise and Bobby Bransfield, Sarah Perry and Tony Kingsley, Sandy and John Gillis, Dubs and Rob Dickey, Laura and Rick Malnight, Liza and Chris Mills, Suzanne and Stephen Erwin, Stephanie and David Javaheri, Stephanie and Dan Allred, Eunice Groark and Kevin Clark.

Thank you to our event sponsors! Each and every one of the sponsors below committed to leaving their donation in place despite the canceled event. We’re honored and thankful for your support.

  

Friends & Family Climb-A-Thon!

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Family Climbathon

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.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

Can’t Make it?

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE EVENT!

Check out Pictures from Last Year!

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2019 Fundraising Party

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Waypoint empowers people with disabilities to say “I CAN!” These opportunities are made possible because of your partnership and support. Join us in celebrating the many I CAN moments of 2018, and discover your part in making I CAN a reality in 2019.

Dress in Festive Spring Attire and note that Brae Burn Country Club specifically requests NO DENIM, PLEASE.

REGISTER Button

Are you interested in Sponsorship?

Lead with us! Corporate Sponsorship of this event shows community involvement, strong partnership, and is a perfect way for your brand or name to reach the Boston-area community.

Click to see our sponsorship levels

A huge thanks to those who have stepped up to sponsor this event so far!

newfangled studios      Petrini logo 

 

Boston Ability Center logo    WT_logo

 

 Meet Our Host Committee!

Dan and Stephanie Allred

Robert and Cherise Bransfield

Amy and Yumin Choi

Rob and Dubs Dickey

M.A and Jim Gallerani

Sandy and John Gillis

Laura and Rick Malnight

Sarah Perry and Tony Kingsley

Kelly and Jeff Woolbert

Bryce and Chrissy Youngren

2017 Program Impact Report

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We are committed to understand the impact of Waypoint programs on the lives of people with disabilities and their communities. Thanks to a collaboration with the Social Innovation Forum, Public Service Economics, and Boston University’s Occupational Therapy Department, we released an impact report that includes feedback from participants, parents and teachers/caregivers.

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Want a quick snapshot? Keep reading…

Waypoint PARTICIPANTS were asked to fill out a post program evaluation that looked at four key outcome areas which research has shown as deficits in the lives of people with disabilities. Following a Waypoint program, participants report…

At the end of the evaluation we ask a few open ended questions about what participants valued, advice they would give others, and what they would change. Some of their responses include:

When we asked TEACHERS to report back on their perspective of Waypoint’s impact they continually tell us things like:

• I have seen students go from being afraid and anxious to being confident and able to take safe risks in their education and in their personal lives. – Boston Public School, MA

PARENTS are a crucial part of the feedback we seek in determining impact. When we ask them to report on the impact of their son or daughter’s participation in Waypoint programs and we continually hear things like…

• “It's too infrequent that we see our son bursting with pride and a real sense of accomplishment.” • “The most positive impact I see is in his growing confidence in his ability to navigate his world day-to-day.” • “It was amazing to watch both of my kids enjoy the outdoors in a way I never thought possible. Our daughter was her best self today.” • “This showed me that we can be much more adventurous and active as a family.”

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