Status Report: Mom

 

We just passed the 4 week mark since Mom's hard fall. She continues to heal well. Her ribs are almost back to normal and her left arm is much better. Traci & I are taking turns staying by her side 24/7. We are shadowing her like Secret Service Agents. Over the last 30 days we've counted 15 falls that we caught her from hitting the ground. So that's about 1 every 2 days which feels somewhat rare when you're next to someone 16 hours during the daytime and in the next room for another 8 hours at nighttime. We have bells on her bed rails so that we wake up when she tries to get up at night to go to the bathroom. Every few days she sleeps through the night, but most nights she has to go to the bathroom at midnight, 3am, & 6am. Dad is always up with her too when she gets up for her bathroom runs. So we all meet in the bathroom to have a party in the potty LOL! Although Dad has his own ailments and isn't able to hold her up or react fast enough when she stumbles he is always chipper in the morning to help elevate the moral and then spends the morning making hot tea for Mom as well as breakfast, lunch, & dinner the rest of the day for all of us. Staying by her side 24/7 has been our short term fall prevention plan. It's very hard on our personal schedules and responsibilities. Traci & I basically sprint from our parent's house back to our own house and try to get our own work done before we turn around and come back to the folks. We are experimenting with the time frames. Right now we are switching out with each other every 48 hours. Next week we are trying every 24 hours. We are trying to figure out a sustainable long term plan. With Mom's Alzheimer's it makes it impossible to change or modify behavior (such as getting her to use a walker, etc) because she immediately forgets anything that she needs to adjust in order to prevent a fall. She pretty much lives according to the habits she has developed over a lifetime. It's a very interesting and fascinating aspect to this part of our journey. Her short term memory is down to about 30 seconds and you don't realize how crucial short term memory is to functionality until it's gone. So sitting down and having a discussion about making slight changes or adjustments is immediately forgotten within 1 minute. She doesn't remember that she fell 4 weeks ago so she doesn't understand why we are giving her so much attention. But she does laugh a lot and make light of all the special attention she is receiving. It's a total team effort and we are doing the best we can to try to prevent the ripple effect that often happens when elderly people fall (broken hip then hospitalization then pneumonia then funeral). She turns 90 in 6 weeks! She would kill me for sharing that (or any of this), but we think she looks fantastic and she has stayed so healthy for so many years from all of her walking & vegetarian diet... I just have to brag on her a little bit. She's an awesome Mom! Thanks for lifting her & us up in prayer whenever you think of it. We have so much to celebrate in Jesus!

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GTD RECEIVES DONATION OF GAS POWERED GOLF CART FROM OUR DEAR FRIEND JERRY MULLINS!!

One of my Dad's best friends - Jerry Mullins - has donated his heavy duty gas powered golf cart from Mullins Enterprises to GTD!! Jerry Mullins has been a great friend and supporter of this ministry for many yearsg. He and my Dad (Jerry Garner) are best of friends and are known as, "The Jerry's". Jerry Mullins is one of the greatest & most generous guys I've ever met. He is always eager to find a way to help & serve others in a practical way. And this is such a practical donation to GTD! We've needed a golf cart for years to help out in the running of camp, especially for our older volunteers. This is the PERFECT gift for GTD that we will get many years of great use of! From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU SO MUCH JERRY MULLINS!! God bless you for all the ways you've blessed and propelled this ministry over the years!! You're a great friend to my Dad and GTD!!!

CELEBRATING OUR 25th w/ GIVEAWAYS ON THE 25th OF EVERY MONTH IN 2021!

 

  

Every month on the 25th in 2021 GTD is going to be having a giveaway as one of the ways we celebrate 25 years of ministry! 

  

To participate simply go to Doug's personal Facebook profile and look for this giveaway picture and follow the instructions for your chance at winning a cool GTD item!

  

Click here for Doug's personal Facebook profile

https://www.facebook.com/doug.garner.adventure.man

   

Have fun and thanks for supporting GTD!!!

  

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Going The Distance Adventure Ministry, Inc

Celebrating 25 years of God-awesome adventures!

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MAKE A LONG TERM IMPACT >>> ADOPT-A-NEED! ...HERE'S OUR TOP GEAR NEEDS FOR 2021!!

 

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TOP GEAR NEEDED & COSTS

(& PROJECTED LIFESPAN BEFORE NEEDING TO BE REPLACED)

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NEEDS:

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- 10 New Tents = $1500 (2 year lifespan)

- 30 New Cots = $1000 (7 year lifespan)

- 30 New Camp Chairs = $300 (2 year lifespan)

- 2 New Rappelling Ropes = $300 total (4 year lifespan)

- Rock Climbing Hardware = $750 total (4 year lifespan)

- 30-40 ft Rock Climbing Wall (in my backyard to train guides) = $1000 (15+ year lifespan)

- New Outdoor Movie Projector, Screen, & DVD Player / Electronics = $1000 (10 year lifespan)

- Convert 40 ft Shipping Container to new GTD Office & Storage = approximately $5,000 (20+ year lifespan)

- 2 New Large Canopies for Meals = $450 (10 year lifespan)

  

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LOVE TO ADD-ON THIS YEAR:

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- New Enclosed Trailer = $4500 (20 year lifespan)

- 10 New Paddleboards (New Activity) = $3500 (10 year lifespan)

- Tree Climbing Gear (New Activity) = approximately $2500 (10 year lifespan)

- Fishing Gear for 20 people = ???

- 30 New modern-day "Inner Tubes" = $1500 (7 year lifespan)

  

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"WISH LIST":

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- Pre-Owned Pontoon Boat & 2 Wave Runners = approximately $20,000 (10 year lifespan)

- Inflatables (water slides & bounce house sort of things) (New Activity) = approximately $7500

  

Adopting a need is a great way to make a longterm impact in young people's lives through GTD. Running camps and recreational activities isn't cheap, but GTD does it as inexpensively as possible without compromising quality or safety. 

  

If you would like to adopt-a-need then simply comment below, call our office, email us, or make a donation stating what you want the funds to be used for. It's that easy!

  

GTD Contact Information:

- Office phone: 727-394-9483 (1-888-697-2479)

- Email: info@goingthedistance.org

- Online Donations: https://gtdbullhorn.blogspot.com/p/payments-donations.html

- Mail-In Donations: GTD, PO Box 7523, Seminole, FL 33775

  

From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING GTD!!!

  

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Going The Distance Adventure Ministry, Inc

Celebrating 25 years of God-awesome adventures!

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THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS! ...TEMPORARY KAYAK RACKS DONE!

 

Carson brought over a couple of great volunteers from Indian Rocks Christian School and we were able to clean most of the swamp backpacking gear and complete the temporary kayak racks! 
  
We are able to hold 28 kayaks (and more) on these 2 racks... now that's a lot of yak consolidation!!
  
The year of COVID minimized our ability to utilize volunteers so it felt great to have some more hands on deck =). Thank you so much Logan & "Nebraska"!! You are a blessing to GTD =)
  

  

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$92,010 RAISED SO FAR!!! ...ONLY $7990 LEFT TO GO BY JANUARY 31st! .....WE ARE ALMOST THERE!!!!!

 

Not 2020, nor COVID, nor the cancellation of our annual in-person banquet, nor all the crazy curveballs over the past 12 months can keep our amazing supporters from strongly supporting this ministry. We are so blessed and floored by our loving & generous donors!

   

We are almost there! Only $7990 left to go!!

   

Who wants to help push us over the finish line =)

   

Here's how you can support the cause: 

   

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Click on any of these links to support GTD and help launch our 25th year of ministry!

   

* CLICK HERE to make a one-time donation

   

* CLICK HERE to become a monthly partner

   

(You can track our daily fundraising progress on this link)

***********************************

   

From the bottom of our hearts - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!! God bless you!!!

   

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Going The Distance Adventure Ministry

Celebrating 25 years of God-awesome adventures!

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RACK 'EM UP! ...BUILDING TEMPORARY KAYAK RACKS =)

Over the weekend Carson & I were able to put a few hours into building some temporary A-frame kayak racks. We're about half done.

   

A couple of years ago we started transitioning from canoes to kayaks (which is the preferred way to paddle by most of our participants). We've scored a lot of great deals on pre-owned kayaks through apps like Offer-Up & Facebook Marketplace over the past 2 years.

   

Currently we have about 27 kayaks... approximately 10-ish touring kayaks & 17-ish recreational kayaks. They've been a big hit with our groups!

   

Ultimately the kayaks will be stored on a couple of kayak trailers that we hope to refurbish this spring (Lord willing).

   

Our immense gratitude goes out to all of our generous supporters that God has used to enable GTD to acquire all of these vessels!! Thank you so much!! They've been a priceless addition to this ministry!

   

WE JUST PASSED THE $90,000 MARK!!! ...ONLY $10,000 LEFT TO GO OVER THE NEXT 3 WEEKS!!

GLORIFYING GOD WITH DEEP GRATITUDE FOR OUR SUPPORTERS!
  
I'm so happy to let you know that GTD just surpassed the $90,000 fundraising mark in our quest to raise $100k by January 31st!
   
Whether we would have raised $90 or $90,000 our hearts would have still rejoiced in this one truth - God is sooooooo good! 
  
We are so excited to have just launched our 25th year of ministry!!
  
You can help put us over the finish line!
  
Here's how you can support the cause: 
  
***********************************
Click on any of these links to support GTD and help launch our 25th year of ministry!
  
* CLICK HERE to make a one-time donation
  
* CLICK HERE to become a monthly partner
  
(CLICK HERE to track our daily fundraising progress on this link)
***********************************
  
From the bottom of our hearts - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!! God bless you!!!
 
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Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome adventures since 1996!
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CELEBRATING 25 YEARS WITH... $25 OFF & 25% OFF DISCOUNTS AND... $25 EVENTS, FREE EVENTS, & FREE SWAG!!!

 

 

2021 is a year of celebration for this ministry and what better way to celebrate and say thank you to all of our supporters & participants than through discounted events, free events, and free GTD swag!

   

◇ $25 PUBLIC EVENTS (Swamp Thing, Paddle Prowl, Ignite, & Slammed)!

  

◇ FREE PUBLIC EVENTS (Liquid & a new event coming in May)!

  

◇ FREE GTD SWAG for ALL participants this year!

   

◇ $25 OFF all private Adventure Trips! 

        - 5 Day Trips regularly $199/person

             - -->This Year: $174/person!

   

◇ 25% OFF all private Retreats!

        - 3 Day Retreats regularly $119/person

             - -->This Year: $89/person!

        - 2 Day Retreats regularly $99/person

             - -->This Year: $74/person!

        - 1 Day Retreats regularly $79/person

             - -->This Year: $59/person!

   

◇ 25% OFF all private Day Trips!

        - Regular Day Trips regularly $20/person

             - -->This Year: $15/person!

        - Mega Day Trips regularly $35/person

             - -->This Year: $26/person!

   

NOW THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO KICK OFF OUR 25th YEAR OF MINISTRY!!

   

THANK YOU SO MUCH GTD PARTICIPANTS & SUPPORTERS FOR 25 AMAZING YEARS OF GOD-AWESOME ADVENTURES & MEMORIES!!!

Learn more about GTD, our events, and all we offer on this blog site!

    

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Going The Distance Adventure Ministry 

God-awesome adventures since 1996!

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HAPPY 25th YEAR BIRTHDAY TO GTD!!! ...KICKING OFF OUR 25th IN THE SWAMPS!

Here are a few pics from our swamp hike in the Everglades over the weekend! Eight brave (or crazy) souls took on this 2-day 8-mile romp in the swamp. We had a blast kicking off our 25th year of ministry with this challenging hike and wild adventure. It's such a uniquely beautiful destination!!

  

Thank you Jesus for such a great adventure!

   

More amazing pics & videos to come =) 

   

SWAMP THING 2021

  

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Celebrating 25 years of God-awesome adventures!

Going The Distance Adventure Ministry =) 

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HAPPY 2021! ...AND HAPPY 2517!! ....(as in 2 Corinthians 5:17)

 

There's something powerful about new beginnings. The new year brings new hopes for a brighter future. And something waaaaay better than a new year is a new life through Christ! God specializes in bringing about new beginnings and new life. While January 1st is the start of a new year, putting Jesus 1st is the start of a new life. 

 

My hope for everyone is to have a Happy New Year, but my passion & prayer if for all to experience the New Life offered by the love of God through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

 
So Happy New Year and Happy New Life!

 
Goodbye 2020 and Hello 2021 =)

 
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2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
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