2 Women. 4,000 Miles. A Source-to-Sea Expedition exploring the Source of Confidence on the 4th Longest River System in the World.
During the summer and fall of 2016 Lisa Pugh and Alyce Kuenzli became the only all female expedition to traverse this river system. A once in a lifetime expedition. They used their expedition to inspire and teach girls and women to discover their own source’s of confidence, using Adventure Learning. They document their experiences on the expedition and uploaded video, photographs, and blog posts, in real time. The expedition served as a platform for exploring what confidence is and how to build it. Alyce and Lisa used the Wilderness Classroom to showcase their successes, failures, triumphs, and challenges on the rivers and the tools they use to persevere. Along with a curriculum designed to build skills in communication, problem-solving, decision making, and, of course, self-confidence. Together, Lisa and Alyce have over twenty years of experience facilitating this process and used the Source of Confidence Expedition to teach these confidence-building ideas to a larger audience of girls and women.
Mission Statement: Supporting Girls & Women in Navigating Their Own Paths to Confidence.
The Why?:
As young girls and teenagers when Lisa and Alyce encountered situations they were unsure about, they often heard the phrase, “just be confident”. But what does that mean? How do I do that? It was confusing and frustrating to hear a word attached to an expectation with little understanding of how to achieve it. They needed role models, to see it and experience it, and tools to begin to understand it. It was through their experiences with wilderness travel and extended expeditions that they each discovered how to build confidence: through positive risk taking, processing both success and failure, and applying those learnings to new situations. By learning to process these experiences, Alyce and Lisa built confidence and the next risk didn’t seem so intimating. By repeating this process, both on expeditions and off, they felt an increasing internal inspiration to take on greater challenges. This is the concept Lisa and Alyce will role model and teach through this expedition.
Hello, my name is Patrick Furtaw. I represent the Plattin Rock Boat Club in Crystal City Missouri. We’re located at the 149. 9 mile marker on the Mississippi river. We can offer you a safe secure place to camp and transportation to get supplies. If you have any questions please contact me.
314-540-1434 or pjfurtaw@gmail.com
Hi River Raiders,
What you two are doing is an inspiration to Men and Women alike. Your wonderful energy and loving hearts made me want to be a better person, just spending two days in your presence was life changing and something I will cherish forever. I owe you both Lovable Lisa and Attitude Alice for your lessons on the fundamental canoe paddling and the much bigger lesson that the source of one’s confidence comes from within. I’m working on a huuuuge donation so keep your fingers crossed and rub your medicine stones and last but not least, you have to believe. ladies and new BBFS’ please keep in touch
Sincerely,
The Famous Frank La Forest
P.S. If you need anything from sunny southern California just ask. I want to make special friendship bracelets from your energy stones, an Aquarius and Virgo, please give me some place to send them and approx. wrist sizes. Believe!
To Whom this may concern:
Please tell your friends and their friends of this wonderful adventure these two young women are on and support them with your thoughts and deeds. Self-empowerment is a powerful message and they are great ambassadors.
F La F
Met the young ladies last Thursday just above the Old River Control Structure. They were paddlin strong and doing well!.