Nonprofit gets kids into nature and also puts them in kayaks

Effort has grown after starting as a one-time outing.

Real estate agent Tony Narcisse didn’t set out to start a nonprofit. But his curiosity led him there.

In 2007, while driving by a usually unused old gym near his office is downtown Alpharetta, he was surprised to see it overrun by kids inside and out. He pulled over to investigate and met officers from the local Police Athletic League who were hosting an after-school project. As Narcisse learned more about PAL, he wanted to get involved.

“I immediately asked if the kids would like to go kayaking and the officer immediately said yes,” Narcisse said. “As a kid who grew up in South Central L.A., the outdoors were a refuge for me. I thought it would be good for these kids, too.”

Narcisse had been kayaking for just a year and had started a kayak fishing club. He recruited other members and his wife, Ruth, to plan an outing. They pulled together 15 kayaks, got Publix to provide lunch, had Bass

Pro Shops donate rods and reels, made T-shirts and had volunteer officers bring 20 kids to a day on Lake Lanier.

“These were children who mostly didn’t know the lake existed, but they loved it,” Narcisse said. “And the consensus among the fishing group was it was one of the best things we’ve ever done.”

Outings were held again in 2008 and 2009, and it soon became clear that a sustainable project needed funding. In 2010, Paddle4Tomorrow was created, with volunteers hosting six outings a year between April and October for children ages 8 through 12. Trips now include short hikes into the woods to learn about nature, and time is set aside for arts projects.

Along the way, Narcisse refined the mission.

“Our focus is on how we treat each other and the planet,” he said. “We believe instead of complaining, the best thing we can do is make an investment in the children. We see them as the solution to the problem of real disconnect between each other and the planet.”

Since its first event with 20 children, Paddle4Tomorrow has worked with 178 youths from 33 cities and 13 counties. More than 700 hours have been donated by 117 volunteers. The group has forged partnerships with various community organizations, including the Refugee Women’s Network in Clarkston, College Park Elementary and Myers Elementary in Hall County.

Narcisse said it’s difficult to measure the impact the outings have, but he does know kids end the day feeling empowered that they accomplished something they never imagined.

“You can tell someone they can do whatever they want, but when they demonstrate that to themselves, that’s a powerful exercise,” he said.

COURTESY The Paddle4Tomorrow nonprofit connects children from across the metro area to nature through a day on the water and in the woods.