News from the Water

Tiffany Butler is a homegrown Annapolitan from the community of Parole. She is a lover of all things outdoors, and a self-described ‘water baby’ -- a trait she affectionately says she inherited from her father. “I’m always water-adjacent in one way or another,” says Tiffany.

She is also a career academic. Currently conquering both a post-master’s certificate in administration supervision at Loyola University and a PhD program in education from George Mason University, Tiffany is also in her fifth year as a biology teacher at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in upper Fells Point, Baltimore.

The Bay Paddle for our President Brian Meyer, simply put, was the best water-based accomplishment of his life. The statement says a lot because Brian has pursued the Waterman lifestyle for all of his adult life and has been fortunate to be involved in some incredible water experiences. He grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, frequenting the Chesapeake Bay from his childhood home on the Wicomico River.

We are thrilled to welcome our new Live Water Foundation board member, Jeremy Dublon! Born in Brooklyn and raised in New Jersey, Jeremy studied neuroscience at the University of Scranton, and went on to graduate with honors from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine where he obtained his Doctorate. Jeremy completed his residency in New Jersey and is now serving his final year in the Army as a surgical podiatrist at the Walter Reed Medical Center.

We have a lot happening this Summer & Fall and are looking for volunteers! Come paddle with our local Veteran groups and underserved youth. For those that want to stay on land, you can build oyster cages with us for our new Full-Service Marylanders Grow Oysters (MGO) Program.

It is REQUIRED for the Wai Koa (Veteran programs) and Junior Wai Koa (underserved youth programs) you be a seasoned paddler as we will be paddling with those who require extra assistance. Paddling equipment will be provided for you at no cost.

None of us need to be reminded of how stressful these last eighteen months have been while battling the COVID-19 pandemic. For students, this experience has been especially difficult as they navigate through a period of life that is already challenging. After three months of careful planning, South River High School students Grayson Smith, Jamison Ballard, and Andy Horning, created a kayak therapy program for their classmates as an outlet to deal with the mental health crisis accelerated by the pandemic and the subsequent shift to remote learning.

We are honored to be chosen by the Eastport Civic Association to receive a grant that will support our Junior Wai Koa program this summer! This specific program will focus on engaging the Eastport Terrace and Harbor House youth in water safety, swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking and environmental education.

On Sunday, April 28th Luna Blu Ristorante Italiano hosted their Virtual Charity Wine Dinner benefiting the Live Water Foundation. The dinner consisted of four phenomenal courses each paired with exceptional bottles of wine from Alexander Valley Vineyards and a delicious dessert. The event raised $820 which will go towards supporting our underserved youth programs this Summer. 

It's always exciting to get publicity from the media, especially the local news which reaches our core community. The Live Water Foundation's Vice-President Mary Howser wrote a letter to the Capital Gazette, Annapolis, MD's news organization asking for the local community to rally around local non-profits that are bettering our community and to supporting them as we lead into a new year.

The uncertainty around the COVID 19 pandemic interrupted the expansion of our 2020 programmatic initiatives; however, since our programs are conducted outdoors, we were fortunate to still be able to make an impact in our communities. Bridge Over Troubled Water is an overview of the organizations accomplishments this year and a preview of what we have in store for 2021.