Saturday marks the end of 2011 and it also marks the end of a year-long initiative by a Kelowna man.
Bob Purdy has been stand-up paddling every day this year as part of Paddle for the Planet.
The program is aimed at encouraging people to be more physically active and to take better care of the environment.
On Saturday, Purdy and six other stand-up paddlers were out on the frigid waters of Okanagan Lake to celebrate the end of the initiative.
Purdy says the paddle has been memorable but adds one of the biggest challenges has been dealing with the weather.
While he says there has been little time for rest, he would not change anything from this past year.
“It has not quite sunk in yet that is has been a full 365 days,” Purdy said. “This year has gone by very quickly. It has been phenomenal. It is probably one of the most fun years I have had and certainly one of the most rewarding.”
Purdy paddled a total of 438 hours this past year and raised about $4,000 for the David Suzuki Foundation.
While the chapter is closing on his 2011 initiative, there is no time for a vacation: Purdy plans to pick up his paddle again on New Year’s Day.
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