Ready for an afternoon of outdoor fun, all for a great local cause? On Saturday, Oct. 17, Wilderness Southeast presents their 5th annual fundraiser celebration “Family Fun Day & Paddle Battle for Fish Gotta Swim.” The event takes places at the Wilmington Island Marina, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and features 5K and 10K kayak races, pontoon boat rides, a raffle, bouncy house and kid-friendly games, live music, food trucks, and more.
Tickets are $50 to compete in the 5K and 10K races, $25 for the one-mile fun race, and $15 for entry to the Paddle Party. All proceeds directly support Wilderness Southeast’s flagship environmental education program Fish Gotta Swim.
“This year’s Paddle Battle is shaping up to be quite a day in support of our Fish Gotta Swim
program,” said Lisa Goodman, executive director of Wilderness Southeast. “We’re hosting it again on Wilmington Island at the Wilmington Island Marina, formerly Hogan’s Marina. For Chatham County students who have never seen or experienced the ocean or coastal wetlands, the funds we raise will enable them to become immersed in the wonders of nature. Plus, we’ll see a great Paddle Battle on the Wilmington River, too!”
The Paddle Battle races are affiliated with the official Southeast Paddle Sports Series, which means competitors finishing the 5K and 10K earn SEP Series ranking points for their participation. Competitors also win trophies for the top three in each racing division, and all racers receive drinks, snacks, and free commemorative t-shirt. Most importantly, racing fees support hands-on marine and environmental science education for local children in underserved public schools.
Since 2002, Fish Gotta Swim has been Chatham County’s premiere opportunity for students ages 11 to 14, who typically don’t engage with the beach and ocean, to get outside and learn about local wetlands and marine ecology. The program is fully immersive and can be customized to fit four to eight week sessions spread over 21 hours of instruction. These learning opportunities facilitate students’ exploring local wetlands and further helps them become stewards of the community’s coastal natural resources.
“Hundreds of studies have proven that being outside in nature increases physical and mental health and cognitive function,” emphasized Cathy J. Sakas, president of Wilderness Southeast’s Board of Directors. “As a naturalist and biologist, I am deeply saddened to know that well over half of Chatham County’s 35,000 students have never been to the beach, the marshes, the rivers, or swamps. Our sponsors understand the importance of the Fish Gotta Swim program and are critical in helping make the day a success.”
This year’s Paddle Battle sponsors range from local law firms and banks to independent businesses and conservation-minded individuals. These event sponsorships both directly and indirectly help fund Fish Gotta Swim’s approximate $80,000 annual operating budget. The City of Savannah kicks in about $20,000 each year, with additional grant funds and revenue generated from Wilderness Southeast’s private eco-trips rounding out the rest of the budget. And organizational data collected over the past 25 years reveals community support of hands on environmental education is working.
When the program began in the early 2000s, as much as 75% of students in Chatham County’s Title I schools had never been to the beach or explored local wetlands. In 2025, that student percentage dropped to 55%, representing a significant increase in middle school students experiencing the coast and marine ecology but also indicative of the need for many more environmental education opportunities within the county’s public schools.
Goodman recalls an anecdote from Mike Neal, a boat captain with whom Wilderness Southeast often partners in getting students out on the water. A few years ago, Neal had bumped into a teacher whose former students went on to work in ecology and maritime-focussed careers.
“That was such a heartwarming story,” recalled Goodman. “Mike said that a field trip with Fish Gotta Swim nearly 10 years ago inspired one young person to go into professional, ecology-related work on the Mississippi River, and another student went on to the Naval Academy because of his experiences on the ocean with Fish Gotta Swim.”
The Paddle Battle aims to be a family-friendly, community building event. Once the kayak races are complete, live music from Hostess City faves, SOAP! and the World Famous Crabettes will regale party goers as they peruse and bid on raffle items, play games in the kids zone, or hop on a pontoon boat ride. Food options include Lowcountry boil, wings from Bandana Burger, and food trucks Oh Crepe! And Cone Ranger.
“It really is up to us to ensure that future generations understand the ecological mechanisms in place keeping our environment alive,” considered Goodman. “For humans to survive, we must have and understand the diversity of species living around us. We are all connected, and recognizing that connection, preserving and maintaining that reciprocal balance, is how we will survive together on this beautiful planet.”
If you go:
What: Wilderness Southeast’s annual Fish Gotta Swim fundraiser “Family Fun Day & Paddle Battle for Fish Gotta Swim.”
When: Saturday, Oct. 17 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Wilmington Island Marina, 36 Wilmington Island Road, Savannah, GA, 31410
Cost: Varies: $50, $25, $15 all proceeds benefit Fish Gotta Swim environmental education program
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Paddle Battle fundraiser gets kids into nature
