(July 28, 2016) Along with record-setting donations, more than 200 attendees, a mountain of food to distribute, vendors to manage, a silent auction to run and hundreds of other small tasks necessary for a large event, Kim Klump, president of the memorial scholarship fund named for her son, said she had something new during this year’s event: space to breathe.
“This was the most well-organized Jesse’s Paddle ever,” she said. “In the past, we had a hard time setting everything up in time — it was very chaotic.”
Not so this year, Klump said, crediting Kathy Bassett with formulating a plan for this year’s paddle and ensuring everyone stuck to it.
“Kathy was one of the keys to the whole event. She wrote the plan and followed it,” she said.
Changes included the layout of informational booths and changes to the food service operation. This year, the nonprofit was required to get a permit from the health department, which meant self-service burgers, hot dogs, side dishes and deserts were out, and latex-gloved volunteers distributing food were in.
“It was different, but it all ran smoothly,” Klump said.
The July 16 event was held at the Pocomoke River Canoe Company, and staff reported more than 50 boats participated in the headline event — the river paddle poker run.
Participants in the poker run all got a prize, Klump said, but the best poker hands formed from cards gathered around the river got the best rewards. Top hands got Amazon gift cards, she said.
Ron Pilling, secretary of the fund, said the fundraiser exceeded the $20,000 target, and beat last year’s total of $23,000. The funds go towards an annual college scholarship for one lucky student, selected by teachers or administrators based on altruism rather than academic performance, and the fund’s suicide prevention programs.
Described by Klump as a type of “mental health CPR,” the prevention programs focus on the time between thought and action. The goal of the training is to provide strategies to identify people who might be considering suicide, and how to approach and handle a situation before professional help arrives.
Getting professionals to help deal with a situation is always the goal, Klump said.
Klump is also a certified grief counselor and is involved with a support group for survivors every third Wednesday of the month at the Berlin Health Center across the street from Atlantic General Hospital from 6-7:30 p.m.
In a report released July 1 examining 2012 suicide rates in 17 states including Maryland – the most recent data available – the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found people involved in the farming, fishing and forestry industries had the highest rate of suicide at 84.5 per 100,000, followed by mining and construction workers at 53.3 per 100,000, as well as maintenance, repair and installation at 47.9 per 100,000.
Pilling said the data pointed to available jobs in rural counties, and most of Worcester County qualifies as rural.
Klump said she had too many people to thank, from the businesses and individuals who donated time or money, to the well-wishers who came out to support the event.
“I’m happy about that, and that I was able to relax and enjoy the event. I was able to meet with people and talk. It felt wonderful,” Klump said.
“This was the most well-organized Jesse’s Paddle ever,” she said. “In the past, we had a hard time setting everything up in time — it was very chaotic.”
Not so this year, Klump said, crediting Kathy Bassett with formulating a plan for this year’s paddle and ensuring everyone stuck to it.
“Kathy was one of the keys to the whole event. She wrote the plan and followed it,” she said.
Changes included the layout of informational booths and changes to the food service operation. This year, the nonprofit was required to get a permit from the health department, which meant self-service burgers, hot dogs, side dishes and deserts were out, and latex-gloved volunteers distributing food were in.
“It was different, but it all ran smoothly,” Klump said.
The July 16 event was held at the Pocomoke River Canoe Company, and staff reported more than 50 boats participated in the headline event — the river paddle poker run.
Participants in the poker run all got a prize, Klump said, but the best poker hands formed from cards gathered around the river got the best rewards. Top hands got Amazon gift cards, she said.
Ron Pilling, secretary of the fund, said the fundraiser exceeded the $20,000 target, and beat last year’s total of $23,000. The funds go towards an annual college scholarship for one lucky student, selected by teachers or administrators based on altruism rather than academic performance, and the fund’s suicide prevention programs.
Described by Klump as a type of “mental health CPR,” the prevention programs focus on the time between thought and action. The goal of the training is to provide strategies to identify people who might be considering suicide, and how to approach and handle a situation before professional help arrives.
Getting professionals to help deal with a situation is always the goal, Klump said.
Klump is also a certified grief counselor and is involved with a support group for survivors every third Wednesday of the month at the Berlin Health Center across the street from Atlantic General Hospital from 6-7:30 p.m.
In a report released July 1 examining 2012 suicide rates in 17 states including Maryland – the most recent data available – the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found people involved in the farming, fishing and forestry industries had the highest rate of suicide at 84.5 per 100,000, followed by mining and construction workers at 53.3 per 100,000, as well as maintenance, repair and installation at 47.9 per 100,000.
Pilling said the data pointed to available jobs in rural counties, and most of Worcester County qualifies as rural.
Klump said she had too many people to thank, from the businesses and individuals who donated time or money, to the well-wishers who came out to support the event.
“I’m happy about that, and that I was able to relax and enjoy the event. I was able to meet with people and talk. It felt wonderful,” Klump said.