Paddle for a Purpose Tickets Are Live
Get ready for a ridiculously fun, river-lovin’, community-powered day on the water! Paddle for a Purpose is a one-of-a-kind, family-friendly fundraising event happening June 13 at Glidden Point Oyster Farm—where kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards take to the river for a scenic 3-mile cruise (hello, incoming tide!) followed by a shore-side celebration you won’t want to miss. Start your morning with coffee, breakfast, and a little mingling before launching at 10:00 a.m., then paddle your way back just in time for an afternoon packed with live music, fresh oysters, local eats, and plenty of hootin’ and hollerin’. Not a paddler? No problem—grab a ticket and join the after party! However you show up, you’re helping support the work of Hearty Roots, creating meaningful outdoor experiences and strong connections for local young people. Rally your crew, grab your tickets, and get ready to paddle (or party) for a purpose.
peer to peer fundrai$ing
With Peer-to-Peer (P2P) fundraising, your 3-mile paddle becomes something bigger—a chance for your people to cheer you on and make a difference (without getting their feet wet).
It’s easy: share the link, tell folks why you’re paddling, and invite them along for the ride. Whether they’re across the country or deeply committed to staying out of saltwater, they can still “paddle” alongside you—one donation at a time.
And here’s the best part: every dollar you raise supports Hearty Roots, helping more local kids access outdoor experiences rooted in adventure, connection, and reflection. (Translation: you paddle, they donate, kids win.)
So go ahead—text it, post it, email it, shout it from the docks.
Rally your crew, share your “why,” and see just how big of a wake you can make.
when & where
Date: 6.13.26
location: Glidden Point Oyster farm
9:00 am ARRIVAL for paddlers: check in, coffee, breakfast from yeti boys, mingle, prep your watercraft
10:00 AM launch: get in your boats and cruise the 3 mile route on an incoming tide.
AFTERNOON: paddlers return to glidden Point oyster farm sometime around noon. After party begins. Live music with poi rogers, glidden oysters, yeti boys food truck, kid activity stations, hootin’ and hollerin’ until 4pm.
*** Please read the waiver before moving forward with tickets
Sponsoring
Your business can make a splash! We’re talkin’ a 3-mile scenic cruise, live tunes, and enough fresh oysters to make a mermaid jealous—all to fund grit-building outdoor adventures for 1,000+ local kids.
Want to be the hero of the river?
get your business involved:
The "Cold Hard Cash" Route: Become an official sponsor. Your logo gets the glory, and our programs get the fuel. It’s tax-deductible and 100% cooler than a billboard.
The "Company Field Trip" Route: Swap the fluorescent lights for life jackets. Rally a massive team of employees to paddle together. It’s the ultimate team-building exercise (and a great way to see which manager actually knows how to steer).
The "Goods & Services" Route: Got gear? Got snacks? Got skills? We love in-kind donations that keep our overhead low and our party vibes high.
By partnering with Hearty Roots, you’re proving that your business doesn't just work in Midcoast Maine—it roots for it.
Ready to rally your business? Let’s chat!
This event didn’t just happen—it started as a “what if?” between two river-loving friends. Ryan McPherson of Glidden Point Oyster Farm and Bill Joyce of Carson Douglas Landscape Design spent years dreaming up an adventure on the water that would celebrate the river winding through—and connecting—our twin villages. An idea. Some time to let it percolate. Then in 2022, Paddle for a Purpose was born.
Of course, no good river adventure happens alone. They rallied some equally enthusiastic friends—Mitch Mitchell of Midcoast Kayak and Allyson Blake of Ocean Blue Fitness—and together created something pretty magical: a joyful, on-the-water mini expedition filled with community spirit, salty breezes, and a whole lot of heart.
We’re beyond jazzed that Hearty Roots is the beneficiary of this incredible day. It’s a natural match since our programs embody the very same ingredients that make this event so special. Every paddle helps open the door for local young people to get ‘off the grid and into their hearts.’
So yeah—it’s fun. It’s meaningful. And it all started with a love of the river and a wild idea.
See you on the rivah’!
