Thank YOu: Austin, Brad, Coltin

Austin Graham, Brad Tallent and Coltin Calloway: I first met Austin and Brad in 2013 on their way through Memphis while paddling the Gulf to Gulf Odyssey, They also returned to Memphis shortly after reaching the Gulf of Mexico to attend the Paddlers Reunion I hosted at my home in February 2014. Shortly after the reunion I was asked by the Adventureitus crew if they could paddle Source to Sea with me, filming and documenting the journey. Yes of course.
Austin and Brad launched with Richard and I at Lake Itasca, the source of the mighty Mississippi. The third member, Coltin immediately started processing footage from Lake Itasca and continued to do so for the next 80 days, until I finished the journey at to the Gulf of Mexico. The film is being produced in Chattanooga, Tennessee by their company, adventureitusproductions,com. I am happy to say the Dale Sanders Source to Sea movie will be released this October. I am so proud of the these three and blessed to have had the opportunity to be filmed by them.
The hardships Austin and Brad encountered on the river were horrendous. Can you imagine paddling a clunker, chosen for it’s stability, with 1,000’s of dollars worth of equipment on board? They couldn’t afford the luxury of swamping. Well that’s just what Austin and Brad did —- They never swamped the canoe, even under extreme weather and terrible record high water conditions. A fete unbelievable but true. For all practical purposed, the camera gear they started with they finished with.
I have great faith in the abilities of these three “boys”. The A, B and C’s of film making. Two documentaries have already been released by the trio: “The Climb to Katahdin", staring Colten and Lindsay Anne, who has since become his wife and Austin, whom they met on the trail. The film features their experiences along the Appalachian Trail from Springer Mountain, George to Mt. Katahdin in Main, all 2200 miles. The second movie documents Austin and Brad as they made their historic paddle from the seaward end of the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the Gulf of Mexico. Seven months and 3,000 miles. Both films were produced with the highest possible quality. I am pleased they chose my paddle to document.
I am deeply rewarded, beyond words they selected me to produce a movie of my paddle down the Mississippi River. I thank them and cherish their friendship with the highest respect. Simply stated - they played a major roll, making it possible for me to meet every single goal set for the Cruising for a Cure. We did it, we certainly rase awareness and exceeded the fundraising goal for research to help find a cure for Juvenile Diabetes.
And most of all, I thank you guys for reaching out to you family and friends getting them to vote “Spirit of Adventure” for Dale Sanders. Winning the award was a big honor and I thank you for helping make it possible. (I might add that Austin and Brad was themselves nominated for the Spirit of Adventure Award in 2013)