Hi Everyone!

When the son of a great friend rowed from San Diego to Hawaii last year, my first reaction, other than complete awe, was "damn, I want to do that!" Of course Keith reminded me that Barney is in his twenties and I'm about to turn 68, so he suggested I start with something a bit less risky.

Long story short, Keith and I are doing a 100 mile row across Scotland, from Inverness to Oban, and eight friends from our village are joining us on this crazy five-day excursion.

We've called ourselves the "Oarsome Oldies" because we're the oldest group (by far) to crew the world-renowned "Roxy", Rannoch's ocean going RX80 flagship boat. We'll be navigating from the North Sea to the Atlantic, through the Caledonian Canal, River Ness and the famous Lochs Dochfour, Ness, Lochy and Linnie.

Make no mistake---this trip will be an enormous physical feat. The Scottish waters are challenging, and we'll be rowing against the winds and tide. But we began to train last spring, shedding weight and building muscle, and have collectively rowed well over a 100,000 miles since we began training!

What has made this experience all the more meaningful is that we are raising money for four charities that are near and dear to our community:

1. I Can and I Am I Can & I Am is an extraordinary charity founded by local, James Shone. The charity's unique "Wellbeing Double Decker Bus" visits hundreds of schools and businesses every year with a focus on giving young people confidence and inspiring them to self-actualise. Since May 2021, I Can & I Am has welcomed 15,000 visitors on board with 80% of the guests saying their self-belief has improved.

2. Firefly International Firefly was founded by our neighbours, Maria and Seb Chambers, to support children affected by the ravages of war. Firefly isn't political--their only "religion" is children, with the goal of giving them a sense of normalcy in what is often a desolate situation. And the organisation is extremely efficient--they touch the lives of thousands of children on a very small annual budget.

3. The Florence Nightingale Aid in Sickness Trust One of our rowers, Michael Parker, is a trustee for this charity which provides life enhancing grants to people of all ages who are ill, convalescing or disabled. Donations are used to provide medical and household aids, enabling people to manage at home and live as independently as possible.

4. Friends of St Margaret's Church St. Margaret’s is our village church, where babies are christened, wedding vows are taken and those who have passed are celebrated. But it's also the centre of the community and host to a wide range of secular events which keeps our village close and connected.

If you'd like to support our row please click on the "Give Now" button at the top of this page. Keith and I will likely divide the funds evenly provided we reach a threshold of £5,000 for I Can & I Am. Thank you!