Yukon Journey Donations, #1 of 7

Yukon Journey Donations, #1 of 7

One of the things of which the Yukon Journey team is most proud is that we raised awareness of – and funding for – the first responders who always stand ready to help outdoors enthusiasts…no matter where we adventure and play in the U.S. and Canada. We’re also proud that so many great companies worked with us on this endeavor, including Nova Craft Canoe of Waterloo, Canada. (We’ll tell you more about them in a minute!)
While many first-responder organizations are funded by taxes, these funds frequently fall short of actual expenditures. That’s why you frequently see first responders holding pancake breakfasts, spaghetti dinners, etc., to help make up the difference. This means, in many cases, volunteer first responders are volunteering even more of their own time to fundraising so they can get additional revenue that allows them to help us.
This is the reason the Yukon Journey was undertaken: We wanted to lend a hand and donate to active, high-quality organizations. Because there are so many worthy groups located across Canada and the U.S., we chose to donate to first responders located in the general region of our primary sponsors. This is something of a “tip of the hat” to the companies that also helped the team on its journey.
Consequently, we split 100% of the funds received into donations for seven great organizations across the U.S. and Canada. We’d like to thanks those who encouraged us on the Yukon Journey, and especially those who donated to the cause. These organizations benefit because of *your* donations, and the Yukon Journey team thanks you for that. Following is the first of seven posts about these donations.
With a nod to Nova Craft Canoe, our first donation went to Boots on the Ground, a new organization based in Georgetown, Ontario. First responders face all types of adversity and experience situations that greatly affect them – as would happen with any of us. As a result, they deal with terribly high rates of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Boots on the Ground uses peer training and counseling to allow first responders to help each other. It’s a great idea considering the stigma that frequently exists in seeking help, and we’re happy to stand behind them. You can learn more about this all-volunteer group at: https://www.bootsontheground.ca/
We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Nova Craft Canoe again for all of its support during and since the Yukon Journey.  Tim Miller, Steve Procunier, and now new owner Chris Rath have been wonderful. They loaned us an 18′ TuffStuff Expedition Prospector canoe, making our time in the wilderness much easier and safer than it might have been otherwise. We loaded that Prospector down with enough camping gear, food, and photo-video gear to supply an army. But the canoe handled it all with ease, and displayed its TuffStuff heritage when we inadvertantly hit a few rocky sections on the river.
We can’t say enough about this company, which does a lot on its own to support worthy organizations too. And we still haven’t forgotten their work with Kevin Callan, aka The Happy Camper, to take war refugees out canoeing as part of a welcome to their new home country of Canada. Bottom line: Nova Craft is a great company that makes great watercraft! You can learn more about their entire line by going to:  http://www.novacraft.com/