Grand Canyon boatmen face unusual challenges in this life unlike most others. They are in a job that is desired by many and held by few. There is an incredible closeness to the boatman community that is coupled with competition for jobs. There is pride in the experience you bring to the job, but as the boatman population ages there is the worry that anything less than stoicism may result in the loss of one's job to one of the younger generation who is waiting in line. This is a job where benefit plans are incredibly rare and pension plans nonexistent. Many boatmen live a hand-to-mouth existence that peaks in the summer and scrapes by in those long, lean winter months. There is always the worry of “What do I do when I get too old to guide?”
The Whale Foundation hopes to address some of these unique problems faced by the river community. The goals of the foundation include the following:
• Mental Health Services.
• Provide information and anonymous services to anyone in the boating community.
• Career Counseling Network.
• Establish a network in the boating community to assist each other in any career endeavors.
• Financial Planning Network.
• Utilize the expertise of the boating community to assist in retirement planning and general investing for the future.
• Ultimately? Perhaps strive for some form of group medical insurance and perhaps an “Old Boatman's” home.
There are two ways that folks can help us achieve our goals:
Financial Donation
Of course, the Whale Foundation needs money in order to realize its goals. The Whale Foundation is an offshoot of the non-profit organization Grand Canyon River Guides, and your tax-deductible financial donation can be sent to:
The Whale Foundation
c/o Grand Canyon River Guides
PO Box 1934
Flagstaff, AZ 86002
Donation of Services
We are looking for professionals, preferably in Northern Arizona and southern Utah and Colorado, who are willing to donate services in any of the following areas: Mental Health Services/Counseling, Drug and Alcohol Counseling/Rehabilitation, Financial Planning Services, Career Counseling Services. If you are interested in donating any time or knowledge, please write, call, or e-mail the gcrg office, or TheGruse@aol.com.