Four men, two canoes and one worthy cause

Four men, two canoes and one worthy cause. Some local adventurers will navigate their canoes to New Orleans to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. <br/><br/>The group is called Kanoe for Kids.

Thursday, July 28th 2005, 10:30 am

By: News On 6

Four men, two canoes and one worthy cause. Some local adventurers will navigate their canoes to New Orleans to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The group is called Kanoe for Kids. And they took off Thursday morning from the Port of Catoosa. News on 6 reporter Omar Villafranca caught up with them before they pushed off.

Before these modern day adventurers take off on 1,000 mile journey, they'll meet some of the kids they're raising money for.

The children will cheer them on for the first hundred yards. Then it's up to get them down to New Orleans. Jim Pettijohn has spent plenty of time on the river and says animals keep them company. "Saw a deer swim across the river last year at Fort Gibson, saw a bobcat swim across the river. We've seen several things."

They'll spend 10-days navigating the Verdigris, Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers. They'll eat on the canoes, nap in the canoes, snap a few pictures and maybe get some fishing in.

Jim says it's not all fun and games. "It's very tiring. It's really like running a marathon. At the end of the day, it's very rewarding. We have some great experiences and it makes it all worth while." And Jim says raising money to help fulfill a child's dream keeps his motor running.

The Make a Wish Foundation grants wishes for kids with life-threatening medical conditions. Kanoe for Kids works with the Make A Wish Foundation to raise money. Right now, there are more than 100 Oklahoma kids waiting for a wish to be granted.

If you'd like to help, check out KanoeForKids.com for more information.