One Day, three challenges, a big opportunity for wabun
May 15 is Wabun’s annual Paddle It Forward Day, a one-day giving event that brings our community together to support the next generation of Wabun campers.
This year, your gift can go even farther.
If we raise $20,000 in donations on May 15, we will unlock an additional $20,000 in challenge funding for Wabun. That means every gift, of every size, helps move us closer to doubling our impact.
Help us meet the moment
For generations, Wabun has shaped young people through wilderness travel, friendship, challenge, resilience, and joy. Paddle It Forward Day is a chance for alumni, families, friends, and supporters to keep that experience strong for the campers who will carry Wabun into the future.
Whether Wabun gave you confidence, lifelong friendships, a love of canoe tripping, or a deeper sense of who you are, May 15 is the day to pass it on.
Make Your Gift on May 15
On Paddle It Forward Day, your gift can help unlock up to $37,500 in challenge funding and strengthen the Wabun experience for years to come.
Make your gift on May 15. Invite your Wabun friends to give. Honor someone who helped shape your journey. And help us Paddle It Forward for the next generation.
Read below to learn more about our exciting challenges and get ready to paddle it forward!
unlock the $20,000 challenge
Our main goal is simple: raise $20,000 in gifts on May 15.
When we reach that goal, Wabun will unlock an additional $20,000 in challenge funds, turning one day of generosity into $40,000 for Wabun’s future.
Every donation counts. A gift of $25, $100, $500, or more all helps paddle us toward the finish line.
Young Alumni Challenge
Wabun’s younger alumni have a special opportunity to lead the way.
If 30 young alumni, defined as anyone who started at Wabun in 2007 or later, make a gift on May 15, we will unlock $7,500 pledged by a fellow young alum.
This challenge is all about participation. Your gift does not need to be large to make a difference. What matters is showing up, joining together, and proving that the next generation of Wabun alumni is ready to Paddle It Forward.
Honor a Wabun Woman
This year, we are also celebrating the women who have shaped, supported, inspired, and strengthened the Wabun community.
If we receive 50 donations made in honor or memory of a Wabun Woman, we will unlock $10,000 pledged by a group of Wabun Women.
We especially invite gifts honoring or remembering mothers, grandmothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, friends, mentors, and the many women connected to Wabun alumni whose love and encouragement helped make Wabun possible.
When you make your gift, simply include the name of the woman you wish to honor or remember.