An open letter to the friends of Steve

Well, Steve didn’t make it to Ketchikan. The R2AK–Race to Alaska went on without him.

What happened? Essentially, a mishap, a banged-up 64-year-old-body, mission aborted. Steve tells you all about it in his online posts.

I, for one, am glad he’s back on Bainbridge, glad that good judgment prevailed over determination and stubbornness.

So what’s next?

1. The goal was not Alaska, but recognition, publicity, and support for Steve’s Extreme Sobriety/helping people mission. Done.
2. Steve is as passionate, dedicated, and determined as ever to help homeless veterans, the homeless mentally ill, addicts, troubled kids, and others who have lost their way. The need never stops and neither does Steve. Now he’s planning a soup program, hoping to kick it off in October.

I’m all for our social-good programs–AA, Helpline, Housing Resources, others– but Steve’s approach is different (an understatement, no?). One on one. Change the world for one troubled guy, woman, or kid at a time.

A tough assignment. I worry about a world where so many people need so much help and often get so little of it from their own government.

And then there’s Steve. As the saying goes, the people crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do. (Maybe with a little help from us?)

One person at a time is good enough for Steve.

And that’s good enough for me.

Best to all,

Brian McKenna, Friend of Steve

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A FUNDRAISER UNLIKE ANY OTHER. EVER.  

Steve Rhoades, at age 65, is aiming to raise a minimum of $100,000 for the homeless by prone paddling
his paddle board from Bainbridge Island, WA, all the way to Ketchikan, Alaska. He’ll then pedal his touring
bike for 4800 miles. The entire 6,000 mile journey will be self-contained. It’s never been done before.

Read all about Steve’s plan to paddle from Bainbridge Island to Ketchikan, AK, here.

The race starts at Port Townsend, WA., and follows the inside passage all the way to Ketchikan, Alaska. See the official race site, here.

To help Steve make this trip happen, you can send a donation via his Go Fund Me page: Race2Alaska.com