This past weekend I participated in my first 5k. But instead of running (not my thing!) this 5k was on a paddle board and it was amazing.
I’ve been paddle boarding for about 6 weeks now and I cannot get enough! Since starting, I’ve been looking into buying a board and therefore have been getting tons of targeted ads from paddle boards and the like. Literally every. single. one. But, luckily, one of those ads was for Panda Paddle with World Wildlife Foundation.
I signed up almost immediately. What a cool way to fundraise for Mama Earth, get outside and gets some killer exercise! A quick $35 donation later, I was signed up to paddle.
Here’s where I was changed. I signed up about 10 days before the event and set my goal for $150. I figured, between people loosing their jobs or keeping money tight due to Covid-19 and other amazing causes (like BLM) my friends and family wouldn’t have much cash to spare. I hoped I could get $5 from 10 people. I posted it on Facebook. Four minutes later- I had raise $190.
My goals grew from there. I went from a $150, to a $300 to a $500 goal in a matter of days. By the end of the weekend I had raised over $700 to help protect this beautiful Earth we all inhabit.
My paddle itself was lovely. Warm waters, bright sun, sea lions showing off and a good friend to go with. But that’s not what is memorable about this experience. I am amazed but also renewed with hope by the generosity of family and friends. Sometimes we can get so caught up in our own lives and motions that we forget to take a breath and look around us. Nature is so…amazing, beautiful, breathtaking, sacred…
I urge all of you go get outside and take a look around. After that please keep fighting to save this beautiful blue planet.
