Jet skiers ride 450 miles, raise funds for Special Olympics
A Water Warrior takes a Special Olympian for a jet ski ride during July 2014.
For five days, Donna Smith will endure a brutal, 450-mile jet ski ride, fighting the 12-foot waves of Lake Huron to raise money for Special Olympics Michigan.
A Central Michigan University alumna, Smith has participated in the ride for the past 14 years. A special education teacher and volleyball coach, she wants the athletes she mentors to know they can persevere through any physical challenge.
"I teach athletes that community service is a good thing," Smith said. "When you have good core values and you teach them, it will help organizations like SOMI to thrive in the manner which they are."
Smith is one of the "Water Warriors," a group which embarks on the 450-mile journey from Mackinaw City to Harsen's Island, located at the mouth of the St. Clair River, and has raised more than $2.3 million for Special Olympics since starting in 1991. During the five-day trek, the group stops in Alpena, Tawas, Port Austin, Port Huron and many other locations to be greeted by Special Olympians and rest from Lake Huron's punishing waves.
This year will be the Warriors' 25th journey. It started when a group of men and women thought it would be fun to ride jet skis the length of Lake Huron. They came up with the idea of doing it for a cause, and Water Warriors was founded.
This year, the Water Warriors will ride July 26, until they arrive at Harsen's Island on July 31.
After accompanying her brother for one day of the trip in 2002, Smith became part of the Water Warriors. She has always been interested in working with people with special needs. After she graduated with a degree in Physical Education, she went back to school to obtain a special education endorsement, and has been teaching special education for 25 years.
Each jet skier must raise $1,500 to participate in the ride. While Smith used to focus on writing letters and asking local businesses to donate, she came up with an alternative while coaching volleyball at Sarah Banks Junior High in Wixom, MI.
"For the last six years, I've been able to run a volleyball camp called 'Athletes Helping Athletes,'" Smith said. "Former players come back and run the camp. Middle school kids come to the camp so they can get ready for fall tryouts."
The camp raises $3,000-S5,000 per year, and every check given to the camp is donated to Special Olympics.
Smith has had many years of experience working with athletic teams, but for her, being part of Water Warriors is a team experience unlike any other.
"Until you see it for yourself, I don't think you'll understand it," she said. "Some people on the trip are parents of special needs kids, but there's also teachers, lawyers, police officers, even truck drivers. It's an umbrella of people that may not come together, but because we are all there for the same purpose, we do."
While Smith and the rest of the Warriors ride the waves, in front of them is a support boat. Shelby Township resident Ken Nowak, who will be captaining a support boat this year, said each rider knows Lake Huron can get pretty rough, so the boats are needed to lead the pack. There are four support boats this year.
"We are kind of the 'lead duck,'" he said. "We carry supplies in case of emergencies, water bottles and snacks. We lead the parade."
Each boat is assigned one or two spotters to look out for every person on a jet ski. As Nowak pulls his boat into each port, the land support team is there to greet him.
For ten years, Marine City native Tracy Cohrs has been part of land support for Water Warriors. Her aunt and uncle encouraged her to get involved because she has a cousin with special needs.
"We are responsible for going to different hotels and picking up the luggage, making sure it gets to the next location," Cohrs said. "We pull jet skis out that are broken down, fuel them and make sure riders have a snack at stops."
Cohrs said the stop at Port Austin is a highlight during the route. Athletes are there to greet the tired riders as they pull in, and everyone involved has dinner and plays games.
"It's really enlightening," she said. "They're so welcoming and happy to see you. It makes it all worth it."
