Waypoint Adventure

Help support our team in The Rodman Ride for Kids - less than TWO WEEKS AWAY! We’ve got a team of riders biking either the 25- or 50- mile ride on Sep 21st in Foxboro, MA to raise funds so that people of all abilities can experience life’s adventures. Will you help us reach our goal of $50K? A few more can join our team too! We’ve got tandem bikes ready to go! Visit https://lnkd.in/efE7nJ7g for details. Donate to a rider at https://lnkd.in/e_yR73fJ. Your support in any amount gets us closer to access for all! Or join our cheer-squad. Volunteer in Foxboro on the day of the ride! (Send us a message for details). #RodmanRide2024 #RodmanRideForKids #WaypointRiders #RideOn #CharityPartner #Donate #FreeWhatsPossible #DignityOfRisk #OutdoorsForAll #DiversityOutdoors #DiversityInAdventure #DiversifyOutdoors #DisabilityInclusion #AccessAndInclusion #ImageDescription in alt text.

Summer’s still going strong, and so are we! This week’s #WhereHaveWeBeenWednesday takes you on a ride through some of our latest adventures: We’ve been paddling the Charles River with Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation's Summer Nights and cruising the dirt roads of Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation's Wompatuck State Park on tandem bikes, where captains and stokers fine-tuned their communication skills. We teamed up with Jack and mom, Monica, from Moving Forward 4 Ataxia for the East Coast Greenway Alliance leg of their epic Maine-to-Ohio ride. Jack, who was diagnosed with Spinocerebellar Ataxia at 22, is on a mission to bring independence and hope to others like him by fundraising for accessible trikes and raising awareness about Ataxia. Jack’s journey fully embraces the spirit of “Yes, I can.” LITs took the lead! Our Leaders-in-Training 2024 cohort guided young kayaking learners on the Charles River. They gave safety briefings, taught paddle strokes, and on-the-water communication. They embraced the challenge of teaching others and we’re so proud of their growth as leaders! Meanwhile, the Leadership for All Abilities crew from Friendship Home prepped for their upcoming overnight trip with a hike at The Trustees of Reservations' Whitney and Thayer Woods in Cohasset. We kicked things off with a review of the 10 hiking essentials, packed our gear, practiced navigation, and learned how to pitch tents. Can't wait for our upcoming backpacking trip! And to top it all off, we enjoyed a peaceful, afternoon paddle at Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Harold Parker State Forest’s Field Pond with the DCR Universal Access Program. Two more first-time canoers are in the books!

Summertime = water time! ???? Check out our paddle days highlights on this week’s #WhereHaveWeBeenWednesday. Assabet Valley Collaborative said kayaking on the Charles River with us was their favorite day of the summer! Our friends from The Guild for Human Services had a sing-along while exploring Walden Pond, while Somerville Public Schools students discovered that the best way to beat the heat is to be out on the water at Paddle Boston — Blessing of the Bay. Rob, a Program Coordinator, teamed up with Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation's Universal Access Program and All Out Adventures for a fantastic community day at Dunn State Park for DCR's ADA Day! Summer Staff Gwendolyn and Pier Diem Trip Leader Mary celebrated Neponset River Watershed Association's Neponset Day, setting up adaptive kayak gear for everyone who needed it. And we used Harold Parker State Forest’s new accessible boat ramp to canoe at Field Pond!

This week’s #WhereHaveWeBeenWednesday recap is here! A little rain? No problem! “The Amigos", a young-adult hiking meetup group from Cotting School braved the weather to explore Fresh Pond, while another crew hiked the trails at Rock Meadow with their classmates. Our LIT 2024 cohort worked on building their leadership skills together while kayaking at Harold Parker State Forest! And they weren’t the only ones out on the water this week! Cambridge Public Schools students made a splash on the Charles River, while our Open Enrollment adventurers enjoyed kayaking at Paddle Boston - Blessing of the Bay and Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation's Summer Nights at Magazine Beach. A big thank you to the amazing volunteers from ABB who joined us! Plus, Thermo Fisher Scientific turned National Intern Day into an adventure by volunteering with us at Walden Pond and assembling Summer of Play swag bags for our upcoming adventures. A huge shoutout to both corporate volunteer groups for their incredible support! Dan, Waypoint’s co-founder, met up with Anja Wrede from RAD-Innovations during Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital's in-service bike event to pick up our latest addition to our bike fleet: the Hase Bikes Pino – a semi-recumbent tandem with e-assist, generously donated by Rachel and Ted McKnight. We hit the pavement the very next day during our DCR Universal Access Program tandem cycling ride along the Charles River! Here’s to many more rides ahead! We hit the trails at Greenwood Park with Darren Josey from The Great Malden Outdoors, City of Malden's Disabilities Commission, Friends of the Middlesex Fells Reservation, and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. Over 30 people joined us out on the hike!

Travis and his non-speaking autistic son, Patrick, have cycled across America together, and now they’re off on their next adventure! The Saunders, hailing from Australia, are passionate advocates for improving services and inclusion for neurodivergent people in the outdoors. Travis, the founder of Inclusive Trails, was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to investigate models of support that enable autistic people to access and enjoy hiking throughout the US and Canada and is making a stop on the tour at Waypoint Adventure for our next Ambassador Reception on Wednesday, August 7th! ???? Join us before the program for complimentary delights from Melt Food Truck. ?? ??? Learn more about Travis and Patrick Saunders, and get your FREE ticket in the link below: https://conta.cc/3S3JlfS ??? Wednesday, August 7th ? Doors will open at 5:30 PM with food from Melt Food Truck | Program begins at 6:15 PM ??Cotting School Auditorium

Paddle pals, it’s #WhereHaveWeBeenWednesday! We had a blast on the water with Newton Public Schools STRIDE at Lake Cochituate, soaked up the sun at Walden Pond and Spot Pond with our Open Enrollment adventurers, and kayaked at East Boston’s Constitution Beach for DCR's Summer Nights. This past Sunday, we were thrilled to be joined by Meghan Smith from GBH News, who covers disability and accessibility stories around the Boston area. And guess what? We made a splash on GBH today! A huge thank you to Meghan for the feature! The Summer of Play is in full swing, and we’re loving every moment! Watch our GBH News feature at the link below: https://lnkd.in/eke3XHr8

Are you ready to ride ????♀?? Join our 2024 Rodman Ride for Kids team, the #WaypointRiders! We are looking for 25-mile or 50-mile riders or volunteers to join and fundraise for the #WaypointRiders Rodman for Kids! The proceeds we raise from the Rodman Ride will go towards making the outdoors more accessible for all. ?? Register to join the #WaypointRiders or donate to the cause by clicking on the link below! https://lnkd.in/efE7nJ7g ??? Saturday, September 21st ?? 38 Neponset Avenue, Foxboro, MA 02035 ? 7:00 AM #RodmanRide2024 #RodmanRideForKids #WaypointRiders #RideOn #CharityPartner #Donate #FreeWhatsPossible #DignityOfRisk #OutdoorsForAll #DiversityOutdoors #DiversityInAdventure #DiversifyOutdoors #DisabilityInclusion #AccessAndInclusion #ImageDescription in alt text.

Ahoy from this week’s #WhereHaveWeBeenWednesday! Dive into the Summer of Play with us! ??♂? House of Possibilities fully embraced the spirit of play while kayaking at Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Magazine Beach. Franciscan Children's brought their A-game to Walden Pond! They let their creativity shine bright and crafted some truly creative boat names! Leadership for All Abilities from Friendship Home set off kayaking around the bay at Little Harbor in Cohasset, supporting each other with cheers and encouragement with every paddle stroke! We even had some first-time kayakers take on the water with enthusiasm! Despite the summer heat, we powered through volunteer training at Magazine Beach and can’t wait for new volunteers to join us on upcoming adventures! We kicked off our first Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Summer Nights Program at Constitution Beach. We had a blast playing on the water! As the day drew to a close, we raced to the shore with everyone crossing the finish line as a winner! #FreeWhatsPossible #SummerOfPlay #BoatingInBoston #PaddleBoston #AccessibleAdventures #AccessForAll #AccessAndInclusion #Kayaking #Canoeing #Paddling #MagazineBeach #ConstitutionBeach #SpotPond #WaldenPond #Cohasset #ImageDescriptions in alt text.

? Join us at our next Ambassador Reception on August 7th, featuring Travis and Patrick Saunders! ? You might recognize Travis and Patrick from their ambitious journey cycling over 3,470 miles across America, documented in Travis and his partner's award-winning Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) podcast, The Parenting Spectrum. Now, they’re off on their next adventure…come learn about what’s in store for the Saunders! Don't miss this opportunity to hear from Travis and Patrick firsthand! ??? Wednesday, August 7th ? Doors open at 5:30 PM for light refreshments | Program begins at 6:15 PM ??Cotting School Auditorium ?? RSVP at the link below! Tickets are FREE. https://lnkd.in/edYcZbpB Meet Travis! Travis has a long and passionate history of advocacy for Autistic Australians as a father, educator, speaker, content creator, as Vice Chair of Autism Camp Australia and through Autism CRC's Australian Autism Research Council. Travis produced and presented the award-winning Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) podcast, The Parenting Spectrum. In 2020, he was awarded Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect)'s Parent/Carer of the Year. In 2023, he was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to investigate models of support that enable Autistic people to access and enjoy bushwalking. He has shared his expertise worldwide, from schools in Australia to workshops across Singapore, England, and NZ. In 2023, Travis launched The Autism and Neurodiversity MasterClass and is currently an Education and Training Committee member at Walking SA. He is the founder of Inclusive Trails (www.inclusivetrails.com.au), supporting neurodivergent people outdoors. Travis is the proud father of an incredible non-speaking autistic son, Patrick, who communicates with a letterboard. Meet Patrick (Patch)! He finds joy in spelling, bushwalking, music, swimming, and staying active! He’s a passionate advocate for a better world for Autistic non-speakers. Follow along with Patrick’s journey on his website, The Story Speller (thestoryspeller.com), where he shares his experiences and stories about non-speaking autism, using S2C (spelling to communicate). Recently, Patch shared his insights at the Yellow Ladybugs 2024 Conference, contributed to articles and webinars for Reframing Autism, and made appearances on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio. #ImageDescription in alt text.

#JoinOurTeam — Waypoint Adventure is on the lookout for our next Office Manager! From handling daily operations to working collaboratively with our Finance team, this part-time role is all about keeping the gears turning, so we can focus on what matters most: challenge youth and adults with disabilities to discover their purpose, talents, and strengths through the transforming power of adventure! If you've got a knack for organization and thrive in a role where no two days are the same, we want to hear from you! Check out the job description below and apply today! https://lnkd.in/dvnwYH3y #WeAreHiring #JoinOurTeam #Hiring #OfficeManager #JobOpening #JobSearch #PartTimeJob #FreeWhatsPossible #AdventureAwaits #AdaptiveRecreation #DignityOfRisk #OutdoorsForAll #DiversityOutdoors #DiversityInAdventure #DiversifyOutdoors #AccessibleAdventures #AccessAndInclusion #ImageDescription in alt text.