EBA Gives Back Encourages Support for:

Adaptive Wilderness Within Reach (AWWR)

Adaptive Wilderness Within Reach (AWWR) is a 501(c)(3) Minnesota-based non-profit organization that brings adaptive outdoor recreation within reach for people living with permanent physical disabilities. Through public and private partnerships, AWWR removes financial, physical, and community preparedness obstacles to inclusive wilderness experiences.

Founded in 2022 by Sean & Jill Leary, AWWR’s mission is to make wild places more accessible for people with physical disabilities. Sean was paralyzed (SCI T11/12) in a motor vehicle accident in 2001 and graduated from Saint John’s University in 2006. Prior to his accident, Sean was an avid canoe and camping enthusiast. Sean and Jill met while Jill was guiding canoe trips and they married in 2010. Jill teaches high school Spanish and Sean is an environmental consultant. As Sean & Jill raise their family, they prioritize exploring nature and understand how challenging it is for people with physical disabilities to access the wilderness. AWWR hopes to change this reality for their participants by breaking down barriers to access and making outdoor adventures more inclusive.
 
 
    “People with disabilities haven’t had equal access to recreational opportunities in the wilderness of the Superior National Forest and BWCA. We want to do our part to change that.”
   ~ Sean Leary
 
 
LEARN MORE & DONATE

Donations to Adaptive Wilderness Within Reach (AWWR) helps fund more adaptive recreation northern Minnesota. Adaptive Wilderness is a Minnesota-based nonprofit that works to eliminate barriers to wilderness recreation for people with physical disabilities. Jill and Sean Leary formed Adaptive Wilderness in 2022 and since that time the program has been successful in securing grant funding from the State of Minnesota and other sources to provide adaptive equipment and programming. People with disabilities face significant obstacles to outdoor recreation, especially in a wilderness setting. Adaptive Wilderness aims to change this reality for our participants and increase access to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) and Superior National Forest.

AWWR Updates 2024:

This past summer, Adaptive Wilderness officially launched its programming with adaptive kayaking and fishing, including installation of an ADA kayak launch system and purchase of a fleet of adaptive kayaks. In September, we hosted an adaptive wild rice harvest on Birch Lake in Ely, Minnesota led by a Native ricing expert. Adaptive kayaking and fishing continued throughout October and in November we began dryland dogsled training and photography tours through the Superior National Forest. The last participants came all the way from Florida and experienced snow for the first time over Thanksgiving. They were even lucky enough to track and spot a large grey wolf in the forest.

Now that the lakes are freezing over and the snow is piling up in northern Minnesota, we will be putting the dogs’ training to work as we move into our winter dogsled programming. Participants from across the country are traveling to the BWCA for adaptive dogsledding, ice fishing, and cross-country skiing, which will continue through March. Interest in our programming is strong and our grants do not cover the full cost to provide our services. The non-profit has no paid staff, and all donations go towards delivery of our services and necessary overhead expenditures such as insurance and equipment.
 
Please consider donating today. One hundred percent of your contribution will go towards funding wilderness experiences for people with physical disabilities. Our young program is investing in new equipment and interest in our programming is strong. Please help us make outdoor wilderness recreation more inclusive here in Minnesota and help us build a model for the nation. Thank you for your consideration.

Photo from a Summer 2024 excursion taken by Sean Leary (left) and Mason Branstrator (right). Mason, who lives in Minnesota,  suffered spinal cord injury in a 2021 ski accident. Mason and his family had a great time exploring Birch Lake and the surrounding SNF, and caught enough fish for a nice shore lunch.