Porter Paddlers Meet Residents, Enter Broad Lake
By Mike Cameron
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Neil Gruber enjoys a glass of sparkling cider with members of the staff and some of the residents of Helen Porter Health and Rehabilitation during an “on shore visit” at Basin Harbor, Thursday afternoon July 30th, 2009. Gruber, along with Mike Cameron of The Valley Voice are paddling the length of Lake Champlain (Whitehall New York’s South Bay to the Canadian border above the Rouses Point Bridge) as a fundraiser. The money raised will pay for a cruise boat day trip on the lake for Porter residents their families and special guests in August. Cameron who recently was awarded a Trip Leader certification from The American Canoe Association (ACA) was asked about the trip up the lake and the folks who will benefit. “I’m the new guy. Neil has done this before, end to end, solo. It’s not an easy paddle. Lake Champlain weather is very fickle and the wind can fool you even on a day when it looks great for a while. If you can’t be completely honest with yourself and your paddling abilities, you don’t belong on Lake Champlain in a Kayak. We look out for each other and we both are motivated by the residents at Helen Porter. They are the best. It was great meeting some of them at Basin Harbor last week and showing them some of our paddling gear.” The paddlers were headed for the Charlotte Ferry Dock and beyond at last launch.