Lake Winnipeg (HANDOUT)
A school teacher from Grand Marais is preparing to paddleboard nearly 25 kilometres across Lake Winnipeg.
Jay Hawranik will stand up during Paddle for a Purpose on July 27 in support of the Lake Winnipeg Foundation’s summer Lake-a-thon.
Hawranik will start his endurance paddle from Gimli at 9 a.m. and travel across the lake until he reaches Grand Beach’s West Lagoon four to six hours later. In the week prior to his paddle, Hawranik will collect pledges to help the LWF restore and protect the health of Lake Winnipeg.
“I’ve always loved Lake Winnipeg. I live and teach nearby, so I go out and paddle any chance I get,” Hawranik said. “Making sure the lake is healthy and sustainable is something that’s very important to me.”
Earlier this year, Lake Winnipeg was named as the “Threatened Lake of 2013” by the Global Nature Fund.
Hawranik is collecting pledges prior to his journey for the LWF. If you’d like to donate, e-mail hawranikj@gmail.com.
