Dr. J's Katahdin Adventure
Donation protected
Hi, I'm Dr. J and this is my "dream team." And in July 2015, we will defy the odds and climb Mount Katahdin, the famous mountain in Maine.
I have spina bifida and do not have the ability to use my legs, but that matters not. I’ve been incredibly lucky in my life: I had an amazing dad who helped me realize that I could do anything I set my mind to. Thanks to my dad, I realize that there is no such thing as “can’t.” But as I became an adult, I realized that many people were not so lucky. I became a teacher and tried to help my students realize that anything was possible. Still, there was something missing.
A few years ago, I nearly died. When I didn’t, I knew that I had to give back more. So I started a nonprofit organization called “BEYOND LIMITS: Awaken Your Potential.” Its purpose is to help people overcome challenges through supportive, healthy, gently challenging recreational and educational activities. This past winter, we started adaptive skiing and snowshoeing. We look to expand into cycling, canoeing, camping—really, there is no limit. We want people to realize that with passion, problem-solving, creativity, teamwork—and a bit of luck—there is nothing that is beyond limits. We want people to realize their gifts.
So to help people expand their notions of what is possible, it was natural that we set our sites on climbing Mount Katahdin, the greatest mountain in Maine, the state where we live. Katahdin is a very tangible, physical mountain. But it also symbolizes the mountains, the barriers that we all can transcend. We view this climb as the ultimate testament of faith in what the human spirit can achieve.
My service dog, Saint, is more than happy to help. We figured that we could do it alone, but it could take months: I’d have to crawl and she’d have to push and pull—not very effective. So we floated this crazy idea to a very special group of people. Instead of asking “Why?” we asked, “Why not?” And an amazing band of folks heard us and responded, “We CAN do this!”
Saint and I have been humbled at the devotion of the incredible volunteers who have committed to this adventure. Together, we have all uncovered personal inner strengths, unleashed creative problem-solving skills and developed bonds of friendship and trust that will last a lifetime.
After months of training, we are preparing for our trip. And that costs money. So far, all have been unbelievably generous with their time and donations. Unfortunately, we are still lacking the funding to assist us with the campsite fees, rental equipment and other essential things such as food and hiking gear. Our goal for the trip is to bring hope and awareness to people and to also raise enough money to fund additional recreational opportunities to help the people in our region overcome their challenges and uncover their potential.
To our knowledge, this will be the first time a paraplegic will have climbed Mount Katahdin. I know it's a first for me and for Saint. It's also a first for the volunteers on the dream team: they’ve never climbed this way before.
Please help us make history. Awaken your potential and support this cause. One person can do amazing things, but when a team of people work together to overcome both emotional and physical challenges--anything is possible.
Thank you for your support.
I have spina bifida and do not have the ability to use my legs, but that matters not. I’ve been incredibly lucky in my life: I had an amazing dad who helped me realize that I could do anything I set my mind to. Thanks to my dad, I realize that there is no such thing as “can’t.” But as I became an adult, I realized that many people were not so lucky. I became a teacher and tried to help my students realize that anything was possible. Still, there was something missing.
A few years ago, I nearly died. When I didn’t, I knew that I had to give back more. So I started a nonprofit organization called “BEYOND LIMITS: Awaken Your Potential.” Its purpose is to help people overcome challenges through supportive, healthy, gently challenging recreational and educational activities. This past winter, we started adaptive skiing and snowshoeing. We look to expand into cycling, canoeing, camping—really, there is no limit. We want people to realize that with passion, problem-solving, creativity, teamwork—and a bit of luck—there is nothing that is beyond limits. We want people to realize their gifts.
So to help people expand their notions of what is possible, it was natural that we set our sites on climbing Mount Katahdin, the greatest mountain in Maine, the state where we live. Katahdin is a very tangible, physical mountain. But it also symbolizes the mountains, the barriers that we all can transcend. We view this climb as the ultimate testament of faith in what the human spirit can achieve.
My service dog, Saint, is more than happy to help. We figured that we could do it alone, but it could take months: I’d have to crawl and she’d have to push and pull—not very effective. So we floated this crazy idea to a very special group of people. Instead of asking “Why?” we asked, “Why not?” And an amazing band of folks heard us and responded, “We CAN do this!”
Saint and I have been humbled at the devotion of the incredible volunteers who have committed to this adventure. Together, we have all uncovered personal inner strengths, unleashed creative problem-solving skills and developed bonds of friendship and trust that will last a lifetime.
After months of training, we are preparing for our trip. And that costs money. So far, all have been unbelievably generous with their time and donations. Unfortunately, we are still lacking the funding to assist us with the campsite fees, rental equipment and other essential things such as food and hiking gear. Our goal for the trip is to bring hope and awareness to people and to also raise enough money to fund additional recreational opportunities to help the people in our region overcome their challenges and uncover their potential.
To our knowledge, this will be the first time a paraplegic will have climbed Mount Katahdin. I know it's a first for me and for Saint. It's also a first for the volunteers on the dream team: they’ve never climbed this way before.
Please help us make history. Awaken your potential and support this cause. One person can do amazing things, but when a team of people work together to overcome both emotional and physical challenges--anything is possible.
Thank you for your support.
Organizer
Kelly Fox Gumprecht
Organizer
Presque Isle, ME