Friends of Waypoint!

Thank you for your continued support! Your investment enabled more than 1,100 individuals to participate in adventure education programs with Waypoint Adventure in 2017! Learning through adventure continues to be a powerful tool in the lives of people with disabilities in our communities. Thank you for making these opportunities possible!

On a recent program, an inclusive group of 11 adults, with and without disabilities, descended a snow and ice covered trail from the summit of one of the most visited vistas in the White Mountains of NH. Unfortunately, as our group passed hikers on their way up the trail, time and again we were asked, “Is everyone okay? Can I help?” It appeared to them that we were part of a rescue operation – not a group of friends out for a hike! While their concern was understood, refreshing it would be if groups like ours did not stand out so much and the sight of friends helping each other up the mountain in sit-skis and off-road wheelchairs was just a common occurrence. With your help, we can change this mindset and make adventures like these a regular occurrence–not just a novel experience for a select few!

Among many other programs in 2017, we are excited to report the successful completion of the first Leaders-In-Training program. Eleven young adults in this cohort celebrated their graduation at a reception on March 1st. After 10 monthly adventures, including two overnight excursions, this group formed lasting friendships and challenged each other to step out of their personal comfort zones and explore what they are truly capable of achieving.

Through collaboration with the Social Innovation Forum, Public Service Economics and Boston University’s Occupational Therapy Department, Waypoint Adventure published our first “Evidence of Impact” brochure. Compiled survey data and testimonials are included in this annual report.

This year we are also thrilled to announce the Board of Directors’ decision to invest resources into expanding programming and adaptive equipment in 2018. You are part of making adventure education not just accessible, but a regular part of the lives of people with disabilities. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Adam Combs Dan Minnich Co-Founder Co-Founder

AN

NU

AL

REP

OR

T 2

017

Transforming Lives Through Adventure

453 Concord Avenue • Lexington, MA 02421 • 781-325-7980 • waypointadventure.org

Foundation Support:AnonymousBlue Cross Blue Shield of MACummings Foundation

—One World Boston, Inc.Foundation for MetroWestGMA Foundations Inc.Hazeldean FoundationJ.E. & Z.B. Butler FoundationJack Tarver Family FoundationJohn Hancock Life Insurance CompanyLLH / LHM FoundationMary Kaye FundPorter County Community FoundationThe Boston FoundationThe James E. and Allyce Darling

Nesworthy Charitable TrustThe M&T Charitable Foundation

(Wilmington Trust)The Peabody Foundation, Inc.Virginia Wellington Cabot FoundationWork, Inc.

Institutional Donors:Appalachian Mountain ClubBoston Ability CenterBuilders and Remodelers Association

of Greater BostonCentral Rock GymCharles River Canoe and KayakChrist Community ChurchDefinitive Healthcare LLCHalloran & Associates, LLCMathworksNarrow Lane Landscape CompanyPatagonia - BostonPeter Fuller RentalsPetrini Corp.Spartan RaceTrinitarian Congregational Church

Matching Gifts:The Bank of America

Charitable FoundationMedtronicSilicon Valley Bank Finanical GroupTakeda Millennium Pharmaceuticals

Matching First ProgramTrip Advisor Matching Gift Program

Individual Donors:AnonymousSue AbendrothTony & Deborah AbnerErin AbrahamRebecca AdlerMike & Jen AgostiJeff Alexander & Jocylyn BailinJeffrey & Sara AldersonKosta AlexisJohn AllardEmily AllenDan & Stephanie AllredWilliam AlvesLisa AmadeoMargot AndersonMarianne ArcieriNicholas & Sandra AsermellyJames & Kristen AtwoodRachael BaileyDave & Sandy BairdAlicia BardajiMaxwell & Beth BardeenBradley & Meda BarnesWill & Becky BarnettChristian & Emily BarrJoe & Dianne BarthJulie BeachJeffrey & Elaine BemisKari BenderMeg Bennett

William & Sheila BerensAdrienne BerkowitzS. Larry Berkowitz & Ellen S. Cohn Michael & Katherine BernierChris BerryCarolyn BessJasmine BetzDavid Bindman & Janet AltmanGary & Louise BishopAndrew BlairTricia BlankMartin & Danielle BodleySteven & Mary BoiardiJames BoosMichelle A. BoutinRobin BovaLisa BowersJames BradleyMartha BreslinBen BrightwellBonita BrightwellJim & Kim BrownKatheryn BrownVeda BrowneCJ BrucatoMelanie BruntDonald BuonagurioRobert & Pat BurkhardtScott & Drinda BurkhartPaul & Dotty BursteinJim ButlerVanessa CalderonTom & Kathy CarenChris & Laura Cabot CarriganLindsay CasavantCynthia CaseyDavid & Roxanne CassardMay CassardJessica CharlesKleem & Chelsea ChaudharyJoshua & Sarah ChestnutVincent & Linda ChiozziYumin & Amy ChoiEmerson ClaussSharon ClementeRobert Coly & Anna JohnsonJeff & Maggie CombsMark & Kerrie CombsThomas & Susan CombsJay & Nancy CondonSteve & Julie CondonJeffrey ConersDenny ConklinJohn & Stephanie ConnaughtonTim & Amie ConnellyDeborah ConoverDean CorsiRachel CortezRob & Molly CramerGitti CrowleyFrancine CrystalCarol CulbertsonJeff CunninghamDemi CurtinSteve & Patty CzeladaAlex DaggettDavid & Kathryn DahlNancy DansburyJoe & Christine DattiloHeather DeifellRobert & Lynn DennisSusan E. DeStefanoSusan DevineRyan DiceRob & Deborah DickeyKathryn DietzMichael DiPietro & Christina BortzKevin DonahueSylvie Donatien

Ben DumpeKevin DumpeSamantha DumpeDennis & Pam DunnLori DunnJanet EatonSusan ElbeRyan & Ruth EntwistleNathanael & Leslie ErdeStephen & Suzanne ErwinTari FanderclaiJill FeltonDan & Patty FerrickSandra FisherIda FitzgeraldJennifer Fitz-RoyPaul & Kara FlackMichael & Brenda FloresCourtney FosterStephanie FosterElizabeth FranksDavid & Nancy FultonDouglas GakerSam & Nicole GalambosTom & Katie GandekVictor & Elisabeth GerdesColette GiffordRaymond GillespieJohn & Sandy GillisJen GilsonRobin GoldensonRonald & Lori GoodeFrank & Lizzie GoodpastureMichael Gorton & Karen Swift-GortonKristine GovernoWorth & Sunday GrantMichael GriffithsPatricia GroomKelsey GrossLaurie GullionEric HaasJoanne HadleyJon Hainer & Katherine WatkinsEric & Deborah HallWilliam & Kathy HallTom & Jane HamelTom & Carolyn HanlonAlbert HanserJoseph & Caroline HardyJoanne HarnishJohn HarnishMerewyn HarringtonJennifer HarrisonLaura M. HarrisonValerie HavasRichard & Sue HelsteinTim & Kelly HelsteinBart & Jane HendersonCalvin Hennick & Belzie Mont-LouisKamisha HeriveauxNora Kusaka HerreroBarry & Lane HoffmanMark Horrigan & Nancy Norman Julian & Stephanie HsiangScott & Andrea HudlerPeter HuffmanCharles & Gail HughsonAltin Husha & Chris Heta HushaTyler JacksonDavid & Stephanie JavaheriDan JekelSteve Jewett & Iris Lee BagwellAllan JonesRoss & Emily JonesSheldon JoynerMark & Karen JulienRemi KathawaSeth KauffmanEdward Kelley

Franklin & Colleen KettleBen Keyes & Nikaela Fiore-Keyes Mary KimballTony Kingsley & Sarah PerryPeter & Patricia KinnunenThomas & Linda KinsellaRoberta E. KlixRoger & Pat KnightAdam KobernaSondra KormanTrent KorstangeLarry Kortering & Pat BrazielTimothy J. KunzierShannon KwiatekJoe & Bekah LeehoutJoanna LemmonMarjorie LevinWilliam B. LevinJames LinkPamela LoderGail LumnahWendy MackeyColin MackintoshTimothy & Patricia MacPheeAllison MaderBritta MagnusonKim MahoneyCorinne MaleskiRick & Laura MalnightDavid W. ManzoAnne Punzak MarcusMike & Audrey MargariteEve MargolisMichael Martignetti & Yvette BeemanCheryl MasseBeverly McBrideJames & Gail McClymondsJennifer McPheeAmy MeekerNancy MeyerAndrew & Gail MillsDan & Merri MinnichDarrell & June MinnichJudy MinnichBen MizellAlexandra Montes McNeilLynne MorandMatt & Addie MorizioBryce MorrisGardiner MorseMary Malcolm MoseleyTom MuxieJerry & Nancy NatowitzMatthew & Pam NeaveCaitlin NeimanKristina NgJanine NichiporStephen NohrdenTom NusplElaine O’ConnellJohn & Cindy O’ConnorKatherine O’ConnorJeffrey Olson & Wendy KlixMark & DJ OrrRobin ParilloR. Wayne & Carole ParrishClancey PaulLeslie PaulDeborah PerryGreg & Mary PetriniScott & Kimberly PolsgroveJessica PortAndy & Debbie PowersSashank & Kerry PrasadSteven ProkeschBrad & Sam PughPaul QuirnbachParker & Debbie ReardonMarc & Rebecca Regan

Garrett & Emily RentPete & Cathleen ReynoldsSteven & Christine RobergeJessica RobertsCarl & Stacey RobinsonDorothy & Richard RobisonPeggy H. RothschildAnne RounsevilleHedda RublinJerry & Cathy SabathWilliam SchinellerWilliam SchneiderBob ScovilleJames SeaborgJames & Heidi SeaborgMargaret SedlerBruce & Mary SellersSteve & Wendy ShayMargaret & Peter SherinReuben & Diane ShetlerAlvin & Wendy ShihMark A. SiegelGillian SimkissWendi SmithMary SnowJessica Solomon M.D.Jean D. SpruanceNicole St. AmandClaire StampferBill StephensCurt & Monica StevensonDavid & Mary StevensonRichard & Karen StevensonOwen & Marcia StricklerKripa & Banu SundarHeather SutcliffeChristine SwistroDebbie SzarkaMiriam TalaminiJim & Sharon TannerDevin TaskerJonathan & Katherine Taunton-RigbyRalph & Mary TenagliaMichael & Kena ThompsonPhil & Nicola ThompsonMackey & Nancy TillmanJohn & Deborah TrickettLuke & Carina TsunetaEileen TurpinAmanda Jane TweedKathleen TyrerJoel & Lauren Van DixhornKent Van HeukelomMarlene VeldwischTiana VeldwischBob VogelKeith & Jan WadeEliana WallackAngel & Barbara WalshJoe WalshAndrew & Cynthia WellmanJess WenigMarty WestKim WhelanWilliam & Alison WhiteBill & Jean WhitneyBrett & Allie WilkinsonRob & Beth WilleyLarainne WilsonVirginia WoodJeff & Kelly WoolbertAlan & Amy YawnAmy YoungBryce & Chrissy YoungrenTracey Zhu & Jianchao XuAndrew & Bonnie ZieglerAshley Zolenski

2017 DONORS (Names in blue have contributed in each of the last five years) IN MARY’S WORDS A Story from 2017’s Volunteer of the YearI’m a 7th grade science teacher. Each spring, every teacher gets asked, “so, what are you going to do for the summer?” Until 2017, I didn’t have a great answer. But one evening, while climbing at Central Rock Gym in Watertown, the Waypoint Adventure banner caught my eye. I looked up Waypoint online, and it all clicked.

I had studied outdoor education in college and worked summers on Ropes Courses, but since teaching full time, I hadn’t had a chance to pursue this passion. I missed watching students use their physical strength and mental ability and making the connection between working through a challenge and working through challenges back at school, or with their friends or family members. And, Waypoint’s activities happen to be my favorite things to do anyway!

My first time volunteering was an April rock-climbing program with students from Perkins School. I knew it would be rewarding to watch participants surpass their goals, but I didn’t expect how much I would learn! At first, working with a visually impaired climber took a little getting used to; after all, you can’t just shout, “Grab the red hold!” But I quickly learned how to be more specific and clear. I learned how to support each participant and to avoid doing things for them that they could do on their own.

Since that first program I have volunteered on hiking, kayaking, and climbing programs. Volunteering with Waypoint is the perfect way to get outside, be active and help others, and is the right amount of time commitment and responsibility. That summer of volunteering made a huge impact on my life. I have carried the lessons learned into my classroom and daily life. I am more careful to not take over when someone is doing something a little slower or not the way that I would do it. I’m already anxiously checking the volunteer schedule to see when I’ll be able to get back out again!

IN BECKY’S WORDS A Story from a ParticipantSeveral years ago I was introduced to Waypoint Adventure through the Spaulding Adaptive Sports Center for an indoor rock-climbing event. I knew that rock climbers used strength from both their arms and legs. Since I am in a wheelchair, I didn’t know what to expect.

The Waypoint staff put me at ease from the start. They taught me about adaptive climbing, made adjustments to the climbing gear, and then hoisted me up onto the wall. Every inch of the way they encouraged and communicated with me. Upon my successful ascent to the top, I rang the victory bell and the sound of clapping and cheering echoed loudly from those below. Since then, I have participated in both indoor and outdoor climbs hosted by Waypoint Adventure and Spaulding. Each time, I leave with that same sense of accomplishment.

Waypoint Adventure is all about inclusion of people of all abilities. Through teamwork and by building trust, they make sure everyone has a good experience. Waypoint teaches participants that there are no boundaries in life–life is limitless–so get out there and play!

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2017• 6th Annual Mt. Willard Summit – in record low temperatures!

• 7th year of programming in Boston Public Schools

• 3rd year of programming in Somerville Public Schools

• 128 adventures facilitated

• 1,145 people participated

• 222 people participated in kayaking programs

• Served 33 unique organizations including 7 new groups

• More than 80% of the organizations we served in 2016 returned in 2017

• Adventures were facilitated in CT for the first time and will expand in 2018

• Added additional adaptive equipment

• Established the Richard & Susan Helstein Scholarship Fund and provided $24,610 in scholarships

• Donors from 21 states plus Washington D.C. and the United Kingdom

• 1st Climb-A-Thon fundraiser

• 3rd Annual Fenway Spartan Race with an inclusive team

STRATEGIC FOCUS 2018• Program investment: New adaptive equipment, additional kayaks and canoes,

additional staff and volunteer recruitment, increase program capacity to serve new groups

• Development of New Program Models

• Board Initiatives: Fundraising, Marketing, Corporate Sponsorships, Recruitment of new Board of Directors and Board of Advisors members

FROM CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, JEFF ALDERSONNo matter how you measure it, 2017 was the best year ever for Waypoint. In terms of fundraising, we crossed the $500,000 revenue threshold for the first time! We successfully delivered 128 programs impacting over 1,100 participants throughout the year. The Leaders In Training program that we launched in 2017 just welcomed its first ever graduating class of 11 students, and we are working on great ideas for new program models and services we can provide in the coming year.

While we take the necessary time to honor our successes, we acknowledge that we must still improve as an organization and are looking ahead strategically for what comes next. We are focused on strengthening our fundraising operations and being thoughtful about scaling out our ability to deliver programs. Waypoint is also committed to adding more members to our Board of Directors in 2018 as we close in on achieving the vision laid out in our strategic plan.

In terms of new faces on the Board, Charley Gould, Senior Counsel at Nova Ventures Group, joined the Board late in 2017. We are grateful to have Charley join us and recognize his long-term support for Waypoint – he was instrumental in filing the paperwork to help Waypoint incorporate back in 2010.

2017 may have been Waypoint’s best year yet, but we still need your support more than ever. If you volunteer on our programs, would you consider also making a donation to help cover the cost of programs for our participants? If you already donate, fantastic! Would you consider increasing your donation, or introducing us to people you know that might consider giving as well? And if you have the time, talent, and energy to make a real impact at Waypoint, consider joining our Board of Directors or Board of Advisors. We’d love to hear more from others as passionate about our mission as our volunteers, staff and Board members are!

EVIDENCE OF IMPACTWe are committed to implementing systems of evaluation to understand the impact of Waypoint programs on the lives of people with disabilities and their communities. Over the past 2 years, at the end of Waypoint programs, we asked over 400 participants to complete program evaluation surveys and received a 50% response rate. Responding participants had a range of conditions, including autism spectrum disorders, visual impairments, and intellectual or physical disabilities.

Outcomes focus on:

• Sense of belonging = the degree to which an individual feels like s/he fits in and matters to a group

• Self-esteem = a person’s perception of their inherent value and worth to the self and world

• Self-efficacy = a person’s belief in their ability to complete a task or reach a goal

• Emerging skills = skills that an individual is “already working on” outside of a Waypoint program

Findings include:

• 91% of participants report feeling a sense of belonging in a Waypoint group

• 85% report a feeling of high self-esteem after participating in a Waypoint program

• 83% report a feeling of high self-efficacy as a result of participating in a Waypoint program

• 90% report having developed a new skill

Waypoint asked teachers and program directors to complete post-adventure questionnaires. They frequently report that students are:

• Remembering and transferring the lessons and strategies they learned on a Waypoint program back into the classroom

• Participating more often and more appropriately in classroom activities

• More willing to try things that they might otherwise shy away from

• Finding ways to support other classmates

School personnel and parents attribute this growth to Waypoint experiences:

“I have seen students go from being afraid and anxious to being confident and able to take safe risks in their education and in their personal lives.” Boston Public School, MA

“After we returned to the classroom I was able to tie the grit and determination needed to go rock climbing to the grit needed to navigate academics and even peer relationships. It has become an ever present metaphor.” Arlington Public School, MA

“The most positive impact I see is his growing confidence in his ability to navigate his world day-to-day.”Parent

“This showed me that we can be much more adventurous and active as a family.”Parent

Waypoint will continue to conduct systems of evaluation to ensure that our programs are continually improving and positively impacting the lives of people with disabilities and their communities.

BOARD OF DIRECTORSJeff Alderson (Chair)

Principal Technical Marketing Specialist MathWorks

Bill Levin (Treasurer)President Levin Realty Group, LLC

Ellen S. Cohn, ScD, OTR/L, FAOTAClinical Professor of Occupational Therapy Boston University, Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

Deborah ‘Dubs’ DickeyHealth Professional

Charley GouldAttorney

Jessica Solomon, MDBoston Children’s Hospital Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

BOARD OF ADVISORSRichard Helstein

Former VP, Advertising Kraft Foods North America

Anna McKeown, CTRSAdaptive Recreation Director Town of Concord, MA

Matthew MorizioPrivate Client Advisor Beck Bode Wealth Management

Carl D. RobinsonVice President, Wealth Advisory Wilmington Trust, N.A.

Martin West, PhDAssociate Professor of Education Harvard Graduate School of Education