River rats, unite! Outdoor enthusiasts, assemble! Anyone who believes in the power of nature to change lives, prepare to make a difference! And everyone, mark your calendars for Hearty Roots’ fourth annual Paddle for a Purpose community fundraiser on Saturday, June 14. 

Proceeds from the event will benefit the mindful work of Hearty Roots, a Lincoln County-based non-profit, as it fosters community wellness through connection, adventure, and reflective experiences. 

The paddle will launch from Glidden Point Oyster Farm at 11 a.m. and paddlers will navigate upriver during an incoming tide as they make their way to the Damariscotta Town Landing. Paddlers are encouraged to create teams, wear costumes, decorate their watercraft of choice, and travel upriver at their own speed. 

The festivities will continue starting at noon at Shuck Station where food will be available for purchase and attendees can enjoy refreshments donated from Bissel Brothers and Devenish wines. Generous sponsors include ALKU, Bissell Brothers, Carson Douglas Landscape Design, Devenish Wines, Glidden Point Oyster Farm, Knickerbocker Group, Maine Behavioral Health, Midcoast Kayak, Ocean Blue Fitness, Simmons Seafood and The First National Bank. 

Live music from not one but two bands -- Funktette, out of Boothbay Harbor, and The Boney Rolls, a cover band that includes Domnic Lavoie, Stu Mahan, Mike Chasse and Richard Corson -- will bring the tunes and get the crowd dancing. A Live Auction will be held, featuring unique items and experiences. 

Tickets for the Paddle are $100 for adults and $50 for kids age 12 and older, and include a shuttle from town to Glidden Point Oyster Farms, a morning snack and coffee, a Paddle ForA Purpose cup, one drink ticket, entrance to the party, and a base donation to Hearty Roots.  

For those wishing to attend the post-party without paddling, donations to Hearty Roots will be gratefully accepted. 

Paddle for a Purpose promises to put the fun in fundraising and allow Hearty Roots to offer even more of this community's kids the opportunity to “get off the grid and into their hearts,” the guiding mantra of Hearty Roots. For more information, go to heartyroots.org/paddle-for-a-purpose.