Check this GoFundMe campaign to support a nonprofit paddling enterprise on southern Georgian Bay comprising tours, field trips, corporate team-building, fundraising events and day-camps in big canoes.

 

The Big Canoe Project

The Big Canoe Project is a nonprofit social enterprise that brings big canoe experiences to communities in southern Georgian Bay. They aim to get every group in their canoes involved in collecting water-monitoring data while celebrating the diversity of our collective history—and promoting best environmental stewardship practices. Their current GoFundMe campaign, Big Canoe Project Big Boat Fund, is aimed at the purchase of paddles, PFDs and safety kits—and of a second canoe for their fleet.

 

 

This canoe is custom made by experienced craftspeople from locally sourced cedar on Wikwemikong Unceded First Nation on Manitoulin Island. It is the second boat made by Mark Gibeault, co-owner of By Path or Paddle, who has undertaken a number of mentored big canoe builds with local youth.

 

 

The Joy of Paddling

The Big Canoe Project is aiming to be ready for the launch of their inaugural season in May 2021. The second canoe would enable them to accommodate an additional six participants on top of the 10 can take out in their 29′ kevlar canoe.

Your support will mean that more people than ever will be able to experience the joy of paddling a big canoe on big water. It will mean that The Big Canoe Project will be able to take that many more water quality tests and teach the role of Indigenous culture and technology in the history, present and future of Canada while in a canoe built from natural materials on Manitoulin.

Here’s another canoe built by Mark Gibeault in an ad for Killarney Cream Ale:

 

 

Your support will mean that the Big Canoe Project will make a greater positive impact on shoreline communities in Southern Georgian Bay.

In return for any contribution of $400 or more, you will receive a free booking for a 1/2 day tour with the Big Canoe Project. All details here.