Paddleboarding witches on Cape Cod raising money to help children with serious illnesses
CHATHAM - Instead of brooms, a group of witches on Cape Cod carry paddles and use their power for good, raising money for organizations across Massachusetts.
Started out for fun
"Very good witches, very good," said Jo-Ellen Erickson. Five years ago, Erickson and her friend, Susan Price, decided to don full witch costumes and go paddle boarding off of Cape Cod just for fun.
"We both love paddleboarding and Halloween is my most favorite holiday and dressing as witches comes quite natural. I think I have more witch attire than I do regular attire which I don't know what that means," said Erickson.
It was an unusual spectacle that caught a lot of attention.
"Our phones blew up, people just asking what is this, what are you doing it for, how do we become a part of it," said Erickson.
"It became pretty clear that we had hit upon something that could really do some good for the local community," said Price.
So, the friends conjured up a plan to turn their fun activity into a fundraiser. Since 2020, they have donated more than $80,000 to local nonprofits. Each year, the witches choose a different organization to support.
"Each board member presents their chosen nonprofit. We write them all on a slip of paper and put it in a cauldron and we have a non-board member draw one out," said Price.
Helping children with serious illnesses
This year's Witches On The Water event in Chatham will raise funds for Dream Day on Cape Cod.
"It's a wonderful shot in the arm for that amazing organization and what they do for those kids and their families is - ah, it's amazing!" said Erickson.
The non-profit provides children with serious or life-threatening illnesses with a free week of camp on the outskirts of Nickerson State Park in Brewster. The executive director, Heather St.Onge, experienced its healing powers first hand when her own son was 3 years old.
"It was an amazing experience because everything we lived before coming to camp was hospitals, clinics, the sad news, the it's never going to get better than gloom and doom," said St.Onge.
Now 13 and healthy, Lucas St. Onge works with his mom at the summer camp, giving kids the chance to just be kids and connecting families that are enduring the same stresses and struggles.
"I still talk to some of those families and some of those counselors from 10 years ago. It's an amazing, extraordinary extra family we didn't know we needed," said St.Onge. "Those connections that are the reason this camp has to stay and be here for many, many years to come."
These witches hope their magic touch will help make that possible. Whatever money they raise will go directly to Dream Day on Cape Cod and St. Onge could not be more grateful for this group of good witches.
"Every time I go and talk about them I tear up which is why i keep touching my eye," said St.Onge. "They go above and beyond no matter what is asked and I truly can't thank them enough."
