“Be strong. Fight the wave. Don’t stop. You can win.”
Those are the words Debbie Ray-Rivers speaks to each paddler who takes part in the annual Kayaks for Kids event—a grueling, two-day kayak challenge around Bermuda’s coast. But it’s not just about endurance. It’s about survival. It’s about healing. And above all, it’s about purpose.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Kayaks for Kids fundraiser—an initiative organized by SCARS (Saving Children and Revealing Secrets), a nonprofit committed to the prevention of child sexual abuse in Bermuda. And like the survivors SCARS serves, the journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s been powerful.
It started a decade ago with a simple idea.
“It was just five friends of my husband Jerry,” Debbie recalls. “One of their buddies—Mike Harden—said, ‘Hey Jerry, let’s kayak around the island and raise money for charity.’”
With no support boats, no safety nets—just determination and a cause—they paddled around the island. Debbie and a friend, Helen, met them at Elbow Beach. “They raised about $20,000 between the five of them—five insurance guys who just wanted to support a cause. Mike Harden is the reason Kayaks for Kids even exists. It was his brainchild.”
Since then, it has grown. What began as five men in kayaks is now a full-scale event. In 2025, the event saw 14 paddlers participants take to the water on Saturday including a couple of relay teams and 58 paddlers on Sunday include 3 gigs and special Olympics. The route has expanded as well—from the full island to a newly created “inner sound” harbor route, added last year to provide an alternate challenge due to weather or ability.
“Yesterday, eight of them braved the South Shore,” Debbie says. “They called it brutal—absolutely brutal. The waves were relentless, but they pushed through. Today, the waters were too rough to go back out there, so we prioritized safety. Safety always comes first for SCARS—just like it does with children.”
The Kayaks for Kids event isn’t just a fundraiser. It’s symbolic.
“Kayaking in the ocean—fighting against wind and wave—mirrors the emotional journey of survivors of sexual abuse,” Debbie shares. “I know, because I’m one of them. So are my children. So are thousands in our community. And healing is a battle.”
She sees every stroke of the paddle as a metaphor:
The resistance, the setbacks, the moments when you want to quit—and the courage to push forward anyway.
“Survivors battle through memories, pain, and loss. We feel like giving up. But we fight. And that’s what I tell our kayakers: fight the wave. Don’t give up.”
Over the years, Kayaks for Kids has become SCARS’ only official fundraiser. With many nonprofits competing for donor dollars, SCARS made a conscious choice to avoid over-saturating the community’s generosity.
“We’re so grateful to our community. We have supporters who raise funds for SCARS throughout the year. But this is the one event we organize ourselves.”
And it continues to have a lasting impact—not just financially, but emotionally. For the participants, the volunteers, the spectators—and the survivors.
“It’s emotional to watch,” says Debbie. “Because it’s not just a paddle. It’s a statement. It says: We see you. We support you. And we’re with you on the journey.”
As the 10th Kayaks for Kids draws to a close, Debbie is already thinking about next year—with gratitude, purpose, and, as always, hope.
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