Waypoint Adventure

29/05/2026

When everyone leads, everyone grows 🌱

On Wednesday, we partnered with Friendship Home for adventure #2 of the Leadership for All Abilities series at World's End Reservation in Hingham. Everyone took on a leadership role throughout the hike and each time this group comes together, the community gets a little stronger. Can't wait to see what's next for this cohort!

27/05/2026

It's been quite a month 📣

Board member Chris Smith is gearing up for the Tour Divide and fundraising to support our accessible adventure programs along the way. Meanwhile, Waypoint Adventure's first Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America wrapped in the best way possible! Our four racers all finished in under 4.5 hours, and our incredible community raised over $66,000. June open enrollment programs and volunteer opportunities are open. And we made our national television debut on The Kelly Clarkson Show!

All of it (and more) is in our May newsletter. Links below to read the full thing and subscribe to stay in the loop 📬

May Newsletter:
https://conta.cc/43lsF8M

Join our newsletter community:
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/Knmzxg7/signupMA

22/05/2026

This June, Waypoint Adventure board member and passionate mountain biker Chris Smith will attempt to become the first para-athlete to complete the 2,700+ mile Tour Divide, one of the toughest self-supported bike races in the world 🚵

This is a personal challenge for Chris, and he’s also doing it for every person with a disability who has ever wondered if adventure was for them too.

Chris is independently raising funds to expand access to outdoor adventure programs for people with disabilities through Waypoint Adventure. Every dollar goes directly to our programs and participant experiences.

Want to ride with him? Sponsor a mile for $100 or give $25 a week, and know that each sponsored mile helps fund outdoor programming for 5 people with disabilities.

This is historic, and you can be part of it 🙌

Donate:
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/tourdivide

Learn more Chris:
www.blindguybiking.org

20/05/2026

Adventure education isn’t just being outside. Here’s what it looks like on

💪 It looks like pushing past what you thought you could do. We got outside with Spaulding Adaptive Sports Centers for our third climbing program of the spring at Quincy Quarries and everyone gave it their all!

🌿 It looks like slowing down on purpose. Boston Public Schools - William E. Carter School spent the day at Blue Hills Reservation practicing sensory awareness and noticing nature.

🤝 It looks like showing up for the bigger picture. ED Dan attended the first-ever Mass Parks For All friends’ group summit at Wachusett Mountain with folks coming from as far as Cape Cod and Mt. Greylock to talk about how we work together for our state parks.

🧗 It looks like calculated risk. Community Academy of Science and Health Students climbed at Central Rock - Watertown and practiced problem solving and trusting themselves on harder climbs.

😌 It looks like taking care of yourself outside. Session 4 of 4 of The Great Malden Outdoors Rx Program at the Fells. Four sessions of intentional time outside and building community. The group wrapped week 4 of this first-in-the-nation pilot talking about how to be prepared in the woods and reflecting on what four weeks outside together did for their mental health and wellbeing.

🩹 It looks like knowing what to do when someone needs help. Leaders-in-Training alumni were back at our HQ for first aid training, led by Waypoint community member Patti.

🌸 It looks like a community made stronger by weekly adventures together. The Waypoint Wanderers spent the day exploring Mount Auburn Cemetery.

🛶 It looks like never stopping learning. Education Director Eileen and Program Coordinator Harrison are working through their Level 2 ACA Paddlesports Kayaking Touring Instructor cert.

This is what a week at Waypoint Adventure looks like.

13/05/2026

let’s catch you up ⬇️

We hiked with a group from Boston Public Schools’ Mario Umana Academy and had rockstar volunteers from KÜHL Boston come out for the day! We even ran into Friends of the Fells Field Programs Manager Maddie on the trail (always a delight) who was out with a group doing trail stewardship work. Some students decided to lend a hand as we passed on by. The group had a blast working together through a nature scavenger hunt 🕵️ as we worked our way through the trail.

The Great Malden Outdoors Rx hike this week brought us back to Greenwood Park. We tracked the bloom of wildflowers, watched the canopy fill in, and examined the invasive species making their presence known on some of our native trees. We made it out to Crystal Springs, a natural water source in non-drought years, spotted poison ivy (and talked through the plants that get mistaken for it...looking at you, Jack-in-the-Pulpit 🌱), and mostly stayed dry. Mostly.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Program Team was spread across the region! SPI training at Red Rocks Conservation Area in Gloucester and Crow Hill in Leominster State Forest with Waypoint Adventure_NC Deputy Director Ryan Carlson. Eileen and Harrison from program staff were out on the Charles sharpening skills ahead of their ACA Paddlesports Level 2 Kayaking Touring Instructor cert 🛶. Per Diems Mark and Ellen represented Waypoint Adventure at the City of Medford, Local Government’s annual disABILITY Fair and Newton Public Schools' Transition Fair.

12/05/2026

Excited to partner with our friends from Spaulding Adaptive Sports Centers for another adaptive rock climbing program this Saturday, May 16...this time outside 🧗!

We'll be at Quincy Quarries from 10am-3:15pm. Individual sessions are an hour long and $25. Slots are still available! Head to the link below to register.

Participant sign up:
https://sasc.spauldingrehab.org/activitydescription.aspx?event=24157

Volunteer sign up:
https://waypoint-adventure.jumbula.com/VolunteerSignUp2026/051626OutdoorRockClimbingAMPMorFullDay900am330pm

Come reach new heights on May 16th!

We’re teaming up with Waypoint Adventure for Outdoor Rock Climbing at Quincy Quarries!

Slots are still available — check out our website for program times and registration details. Link in bio!

Sport | Recreation | Community

09/05/2026

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week from all of us at Waypoint Adventure 💙💚

A very special shoutout to Nicole, Lily, Wilmar, Cam, and Janeth from Mario Umana Academy for a fantastic hike with their students today in the Middlesex Fells. Mario Umana Academy holds a really special place in our hearts. They were our very first school partnership back in 2011! What a fitting way to close out Teacher Appreciation Week with this awesome group!

“We are so grateful for all the teachers, paraprofessionals, and school staff who partner with us to make Waypoint Adventure experiences possible for their classrooms. Your support, encouragement, and collaboration help create meaningful opportunities for students to build confidence, connection, and a sense of adventure. Thank you for the care, energy, and dedication you bring to your students and school communities every single day.”
- Eileen Turpin, Waypoint Adventure Education Director

06/05/2026

A week in review

🌱 We hiked the Middlesex Fells through our partnership with DCR Universal Access Program, where we talked about two kinds of growth: the personal growth (asking for help, trying something hard, trusting someone new) and growth in nature (flowers, cool birds, and so much japanese knotweed).

🌳 Week 2 of The Great Malden Outdoors Rx program brought us back to the Middlesex Fells, where we explored what it means to belong outside together and slowed down to observe the environment around us using our senses.

🧗 Waypoint Adventure_NC Deputy Director Ryan Carlson made the trek north to lead our program team through SPI (Single Pitch Instructor) Training. Today, marks day 3/5, and they are putting in the work!

🌸 Meanwhile, our Cotting School elective kept rolling, led this week by People & Operations Manager Katherine and Development Manager Mike, who turned out to be the spitting image of at least one visual card (swipe for the evidence).

🌧️ Somerville Public Schools students explored Dungeon Rock in The City of Lynn Lynn Woods and did not let the rain stop them.

🏰 The Waypoint Wanderers celebrated Andrew’s birthday while strolling around Castle Island.

🥧 And speaking of birthdays, today is our Executive Director Dan Minnich’s birthday! Katherine made him a homemade Lancaster County wet bottom shoofly pie (his fav!), which Dan described as amazing...everyone else not so much!

06/05/2026

One half of one percent.

That is how many trails in Massachusetts meet accessibility standards. Meanwhile, nearly half of all residents would benefit from accessible trails.

Accessible trails are not a niche amenity. They are essential public infrastructure that supports mental and physical health and well-being, and a sense of belonging for everyone across the Commonwealth.

The Trails for All report was just released and is an actionable roadmap to close that gap across the Commonwealth. Our Board Member Pete Quinn was part of the Trail Access Working Group that developed it, consisting of 30+ state officials, outdoor organization members, consultants, and people with lived experience of disability. So proud of this work.

“Time outdoors is an essential part of the human condition, an essential part of mental, physical and even social health. We need to open this world to people with disabilities.”
- Pete Quinn, Waypoint Adventure Board Member & Trail Access Working Group Member

🌳 Read the report and share why you believe everyone deserves access to our trails with your state rep using the phone and email script from Unpaved Trails For All. All links below 🔗.

Trails For All report:
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/trails-for-all-expanding-access-to-nature-across-massachusetts -findings-and-recommendations

Download the Full PDF Report:
https://www.mass.gov/doc/trails-for-all-report-2026/download

Contact Your State Rep Phone and Email Script:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ctG-F4Lj1U4dWxTCnrNPPJO0886Ic0fhtIyUlmK3tLs/edit?tab=t.0 =h.1by2a5vqtl5z

30/04/2026

We are so honored to be part of another year of Friendship Home's Leadership For All Abilities program. What a great first adventure with the new 2026 cohort. So much goodness to come!

Our 2026 Leadership For All Abilities cohort kicked off their first Adventure Day at Hale Education with energy, teamwork, and a whole lot of heart! From tackling three group team challenges that unlocked a special box revealing their 2026 flag to conquering fears on the big swing, these leaders showed what's possible when everyone works together.

Whether they were climbing ladders, pulling ropes, or offering encouragement from the ground, the rope swing brought out the heart of this group. Every cheer, every push, every "you've got this" reminded us what this program is all about.

Though it was only their second time all together, you'd think they'd been a team for years, supporting one another every step of the way. One day in, this cohort is already making us proud!

30/04/2026

First-in-the-nation pilot. First ropes course adventure. First Waypoint program. A whole lot of firsts this week!

🌼 We went on a hike at Harold Parker State Forest through our partnership with DCR Universal Access Program on Friday. With our discovery nature noticing cards in hand, as a group we found something small, something rough, something purple, and something loud. We ate lunch by the water and shared a beautiful spring day!

📢 On Saturday, we launched week 1 of the adaptive hiking component of The Great Malden Outdoors Rx program at Greenwood Park. This first-in-the-nation pilot connects a state outdoor recreation office, a city-owned asset, and healthcare to support the well-being of people with disabilities at no cost. Before we explored the heart healthy trail, we gathered and talked about what nature and community mean to each of us. So excited for what week 2 has in store!

🙌 The Friendship Home Leadership For All Abilities 2026 cohort showed up at Hale Education for their very first adventure together! They worked through three team building challenges to crack the code on their teamwork box, unveiled their team flag, and then took on the giant swing. Some were nervous at first and everyone tried it anyway!

👋 Our incredible board member Dr. Claudia Gutierrez tabled for us at Autism Awareness Day at the East Boston NeighborHealth and met so many new community members. Kayaking season is coming up soon and we cannot wait to see you all out there!

💙 Big love to our People & Operations Manager Katherine Ibrahim on Administrative Professionals Day. She keeps this operation running smoothly every single day and we are so incredibly grateful!

🌲 And today we hiked with The Carter School from Boston Public Schools, starting at Blue Hills Trailside Museum and continuing out through the trails. Our goal was practicing using our senses. We felt the pointy pine needles, smelled stinky skunk cabbage, felt the bumps on our off-road wheelchairs, and saw the green leaves of spring coming in. For many of the students and school staff, it was their first Waypoint program. What a start!