NORTHAMPTON — A handful of canoeists and kayakers braved the hot sun Sunday and paddled down the Connecticut River from Sunderland to Northampton to raise funds for a charity housing program.
The event, put on by Friends of Hampshire County Homeless Individuals Inc., has yielded roughly $6,000 in sponsorships so far — money that will go toward the purchase of a house in Northampton that will provide housing and support services for homeless youth ranging from ages 18 to 24.
The Northampton Community Preservation Committee also contributed $275,000. Combined with previous efforts, as well as a boost from various grants, the group has raised about $550,000 toward its $750,000 goal, according to Rick Hart, the group’s president.
Once the house is constructed, DIAL/SELF, which is a youth services agency, will manage the property, Hart said.
On Sunday afternoon, having completed the 12-mile trip, the group of paddlers stepped out of their kayaks and canoes onto the floating dock that rocked and swayed atop the choppy waters.
One of the organizers announced that a buffet of sandwiches and refreshments awaited them just beyond the dock. Leslie Giordano, 60, of Florence, set down her kayak as she reached the top of the walkway.
“Any masseuses?” she quipped, before taking a long pull of her canned seltzer water.
Athena Stylos, who also participated, is one of the co-captains of the Masters Program for Northampton Community Rowing.
“We’ve got a small but mighty crew,” she said of the group.
Giordano, Hart, Stylos and the others had spent the morning, and into the afternoon, paddling about a dozen miles down the Connecticut.
“I love to paddle,” Giordano said after the event, “and it seemed like a great cause.”
After the excursion, Hart and Giordano took refuge in the shade and snacked on sandwiches and cookies and other snacks.
“The truth is, homeless people are part of our community,” Hart said. “Just because they’ve lost their homes doesn’t mean they’re not part of our community.”
Beyond the group’s fundraising efforts, Friends also runs two seasonal homeless shelters for at-risk individuals suffering from substance abuse issues, Hart said. The facilities, one of them in Northampton and the other in Easthampton, house a total of 26 people, with services available from November through April, he said.
Hart noted that this paddling excursion did not mark the end of the time in which folks can donate to the cause. Those looking to donate can do so online at https://www.razoo.com/team/Paddle-For-Home-2.
So how how did it feel to paddle 12 miles?
“Like I wanna sit and kick my feet up,” Giordano said.
Michael Majchrowicz can be reached at mmajchrowicz@gazettenet.com.