On behalf of the “One Square Mile of Hope” Committee, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to the community for its support of the incredibly inspiring and successful event that took place on September 24th on Fourth Lake in Inlet.
The event’s success was not only reflected in the gathering of over 1,900 boats on Fourth Lake to (unofficially) retake the Guinness Book World Record, but also the contribution of over $80,000 that has been given thus far to the Susan G. Komen For The Cure Foundation.
From a more universal perspective, literally hundreds of people came together to make all of this happen— without thought of monetary reward or recognition for themselves—but to be a part of something much bigger, something from the heart.
From the over 150 volunteers who assisted in every conceivable way on the day of the event, from set-up and registration duties to those who helped to get everyone to and from the water, and those who kept us all safe on the water; to the generous landowners who opened their property as launching points to strangers; to the great number of sponsors who offered donations of money, three terrific boats for our raffle, in-kind products/services needed to actually set up and run the event, and a vast array of products and services for the Silent and Chinese Auctions.
Thanks also to the myriad of Health and Wellness Fair exhibitors including Reiki, Drumming, Massage, Tai Chi, Yoga and Zumba practitioners, as well as counselors, writers and poets who generously shared their special skills with others; to the extraordinary musicians; to the American Canoe
Association for providing event insurance; to Ann Melious and Hamilton County for helping to provide advertising funds for the event; to the many local and state-wide media sponsors who helped to get the word out; and to all those others who contributed their valuable efforts. You were each noticed and appreciated by the committee as well as the hundreds of visitors who joined us for a very special day.
Special thanks go to Carol and Herb Schmid and the Kalil’s crew who put together an incredible meal without power—which was no small feat—and who also donated much of their costs and all profits to the cause.
Thanks also to Diane Doyle and Paul Ryan of the Red Dog for both donating and procuring food ingredients to help defray costs of preparing that meal, and to Dan’s Food Store for baking the cookies to top off the meal.
Many thanks also to photographer Nancie Battaglia and pilot Don Dew for the donation of their services in creating the most incredible aerial photos we could possibly imagine, which have not only become iconic, but also have now yielded an official event poster to further benefit the Komen Foundation; also, to Barry Lobdell and Lori Diemer for their donations of hundreds of land and water photos and a time lapse sequence of the event; and to the team of Jim Payne, and Dave Scranton/Colden Hippsley for providing videography for the Guinness Book of World Records.
We extend our gratitude also to Tickner’s Canoes, Payne’s Boat Livery, Woodcraft Camp, and Palmer Point for the donation of the use of their kayaks and canoes to get participants out on the water who would otherwise not have been able to join us. These boats also generated almost $800 in rental fees that we were able to send to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Thank you to Jennifer Potter-Hayes and Jody Pritchard for hosting the forum through which we found our logo, created and donated by Brian Bledsoe. We appreciate all of your support.
Thank you Town of Inlet, for being one of the few small towns on the face of the earth that could come together to make something this big happen! Pittsburgh has nothing on us!
We would like to acknowledge the tremendous efforts of our Core Committee Members Carolyn Belknap, Adele Burnett, Mitch Lee, Dale Huebner, Margie O’Hara, Betsy Dirnberger, Mary Denn, Ken Nelson, and Penny Stuart in creating and putting together this event.
Our thanks also to team members Joan Armstrong, Mary Ellen Bennett, Joanne Kelly, Bryan Bennett, Alexis Russell, Art Brockner, Nancy Jennings, Fred Johnson, Kathy Queen, Ken Sikorski, Amanda Miller, John Frey and Debbie Graydon for anything and everything from soliciting sponsors to selling raffle tickets, putting together the auctions, helping with registration and many other tasks that just needed to get done.
Thanks to you all and congratulations on an amazing job that touched so many people’s lives in very significant ways and is continuing to do so.
Most sincerely,
Connie Perry & Paula Stanton, Inlet
