Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Upwards of 50 kayakers will open the kayaking season at the Skokie Lagoons on May 14th with a benefit kayak-a-thon for the Iraqi Student Project, a national organization that assists refugee Iraqi scholars. The Northwest Passage, a Wilmette adventure travel and kayak outfitter located in Wilmette will be on hand to provide expert instruction to beginners and boats and equipment for those who need them. Kayak enthusiasts who want to have fun and at the same time heal our world by their efforts can still register to join in. Starting at 1PM, Northwest Passage will lead the participants on a two hour guided tour of the lagoons. There will be prizes for successful fund raisers and a birthday celebration for Hala, a young woman from Baghdad currently studying at DePaul University through the efforts of I.S.P.
Hala, who fled the violence in Baghdad, is in her second year at DePaul studying computer security engineering. Her goal is to complete her studies and return to Iraq to help make the internet safe for the Middle East. The efforts of the kayakers may have far reaching ripples!
Those interested in participating should visit www.iraqidepaul.org for information on the Iraqi Student Project and instructions on how to register for Kayak Iraq