40 Days and 40 Nights: Lais Lights Out for the Wilderness

Created for Wilderness Inquiry

Wilderness Inquiry turns the big 4-0 this year and founder Greg Lais and friends plan to celebrate. For some the number 40 indicates extraordinary events; for others it holds a mystical significance. Still others use it as a threshold, its crossing requiring reflection, a sizing up of what has come before and what yet lies ahead.

Centuries ago religious figures from various traditions spent 40 days and nights fasting, praying, seeking enlightenment: Jesus Christ in the desert, Moses on a mountain, Muhammad in a cave.

In the tradition of these early contemplatives and change agents and in honor of WI’s 40th anniversary, Lais plans to do what he loves best – traveling – for forty days and forty nights in the wilderness. Though secular in nature, it will be his own personal exodus from the office. It will also enable him to reflect on his inspiration for founding WI forty years ago, ponder its successes and challenges, and envision its future. His wanderings will include deserts, mountains, and caves.

Travels Near and Far

The journey begins in mid-July with five days of hiking and rafting in northwest Montana’s Glacier National Park. After returning home for a few days, Lais will then embark on a four-day trip to the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior for camping, kayaking and more hiking.

He then heads off to canoe the Chicago River in downtown Chicago. Some may argue that is not wilderness, but it is a wild paddle through a canyon of skyscrapers.

His final domestic stop will be six days in Utah where Lais will tour the Waterpocket Fold area of Capitol Reef National Park and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Also in September, Lais will travel to Peru, spending 10 days exploring Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. His final destination is New Zealand’s South Island where he will trek for 10 days in December. The remaining five days of his forty days/forty nights sojourn will be day trips on the Mississippi, Potomac, and other rivers.

Bucket Lists for Boomers

It is only fitting that Lais lead these trips, and it is with other 60-somethings (generally speaking) who will accompany him. These are the years that many have worked and saved for. The nests are empty for most, and though the joints might be a bit achy, for many they are still functional. The bucket list emerges! Often, travelling is at the top of that list.

Also close to the top is giving back to the community. According to a recent study, older adults (ages 55 and up) account for less than one-third of the United States adult population but contribute 42% of total charitable donations and 45% of total volunteer hours. Why? Being generous leads to personal happiness, according to 69% of those surveyed. (1) Indeed, those who give are more likely to have a sense of purpose, self- esteem, social connection, and even better health.

Wilderness Inquiry is unique in its ability to hit two birds with one stone. It offers tried and true travel adventures while simultaneously providing an opportunity to give back. This dual-pronged approach sets WI apart from other adventure/travel companies. Because WI is a non-profit organization, all proceeds are funnelled into the supported programs that buttress WI’s mission.

When an adult takes a trip, one of the many benefits for both the journeyman and WI is the inherent donation that helps keep WI’s vital programs alive. The donations don’t stop at the end of an adventure either. As Lais explains, many participants become regular donors. “People who went on trips 35 years ago still give every year. It’s a great community,” he said.

The Wilderness Inquiry Mission

Some of the donors or potential donors may be more in the know about the details of the supported programs than others. In the spirit of reflection over 40 years of program development, consider how Wilderness Inquiry carries out its mission of including everyone in life’s great adventures:

Families Integrating Together (FIT), started in 1993, is offered for families with a child or parent with a disability. Sadly, many families who have a member with special needs never travel together because it is too much work for caregivers. WI provides the support needed to participate in outdoor adventures in places like Glacier, Yellowstone, or the Apostle Islands. In 2017 alone, 1,064 family members participated.

Gateway to Adventure is a program designed for adults and youth with developmental disabilities, cognitive disabilities, and brain injuries. The participants practice outdoor and social skills in preparation of participating in future integrated recreational activities. In 2017, Gateway served 482 individuals.

Outdoor Career Academy introduces youth to outdoor recreational activities and potential future employment in the outdoor and environmental industry. It is a credentialing and skill-building program encouraging youth to make a life-long commitment to the outdoors. In 2017, 96 youth graduated from the program.

Picture a 24-foot Voyageur canoe floating down an urban river and you will have an inkling of the floating classroom called Canoemobile. The program encourages youth to strive for academic excellence and cultivate a stewardship ethic. The Canoemobile travels around the country offering free and open-to-the-public paddles in 60 cities from San Francisco to the Bronx. It serves more than 30,000 children of all backgrounds and abilities each year.

All told, WI has served more than 500,000 people over the past four decades!

Join Greg on his journey. He has many miles to walk and many stories to tell. Read about his experiences at each destination but learn more about WI too, on the continuing blog “Forty Days and Forty Nights.” It has been said that the previously mentioned spiritual leaders were preparing their hearts for a new phase of life while isolating themselves in the wilderness. In similar fashion, Greg’s reflections on the past will renew enthusiasm for WI’s mission and its future.

Sources:

Bank of America Corporation. “Giving In Retirement: America’s Longevity Bonus” A Merrill Lynch Retirement Study Conducted in Partnership With Age Wave, 2017.