Mississippi Kayaker Plans 16-Hour Endurance Paddle on Pearl River to Raise Money for Alzheimer’s Research on June 20

Lucy’s Revenge: The Alzheimer’s Paddling Project set to begin promoting additional fundraising opportunities and events across Mississippi.

June 7, 2012. Jackson, MS.—Keith Plunkett began kayaking in 2009 and quickly developed a love of the sport that some would likely say borders on obsession. Since then, he has become an ambassador for the sport in the Magnolia State, paddling rivers across Mississippi and in adjoining states on trips many might find out of the realm of their abilities. But, Plunkett says that it’s not as difficult as some people think.

“I think people hear of me paddling 30, 50 or 100 miles in a kayak and think ‘I could never do that’,” said Plunkett. “But, part of the reason our state is the fattest and most unhealthy region in the country is that we refuse to push the limits of our abilities. We can do much more than we give ourselves credit for, mentally and physically. Most just choose not to believe in themselves enough. We have a crisis of confidence in this state.”

Plunkett began a project in 2010 called Lucy’s Revenge. Through the project he paddled 500 miles and raised $10,000 for the Mississippi Alzheimer’s Association. The project is named in memory of his late grandmother, Lucy Plunkett, who died in 1993 after battling the disease. As a result of his involvement, he now promotes the Alzheimer’s Association programs as Development Director.

“Everything I have accomplished in my life extends from the lessons I learned from my Mamaw,” he said. “Either as a result of the character passed down through my parents, or of seeing her live a life committed to serving others. I want everybody to share in that, because giving a helping hand really is its own reward.”

Plunkett’s latest incarnation of the Lucy’s Revenge project will take him 50 miles in a 16-hour day down the Pearl River for the Alzheimer’s Association’s The Longest Day on June 20. His trip will begin at dawn from a launch around Highway 25 in Leake County, and will end at sunset at Madison Landing on the Ross Barnett Reservoir.

“I have traveled long stretches of up to a hundred miles over the course of a few days, but never this much in a single day,” he says. “This will be a challenge for me. I’m very excited about it. If I don’t have new adventures and challenges on the drawing board I get emotionally numb.”

Plunkett is also considering several other projects, including a history of Mississippi waterways and how they helped the state develop, promoting Lucy’s Revenge kayak races across the state, and an educational project to promote the teaching of Mississippi waterway ecosystems to students. This is all in addition to his work developing relationships across the state to help defeat Alzheimer’s disease.

“I don’t know any other way to live than to do it fully,” says Plunkett. “That’s the example that was set for me, and that’s what God has put in me. I have to share it.”

To give to the Lucy’s Revenge Team for The Longest Day go to:  THIS LINK

WLBT: Kayaker raises money to fight Alzheimer's Disease

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - Kayaker Keith Plunkett was joined by supporters at St. Dominic Wednesday afternoon to gain support for the "Lucy's Revenge " fundraiser.

Plunkett began paddling across the state last July to help raise money for Alzheimer's Disease. He hopes to attract more paddlers and supporters for the next stretch of his paddling expedition which begins this weekend.

Plunkett says kayaking can be difficult at first, but it gets easier.

"When I started paddling in Mississippi I did 25-30 mile runs and thought I was going to die" said Plunkett. "A month later I did 45 miles from the start of the wolf river all the way down to Bay St. Louis."

For more information about the upcoming kayaking schedule, click here.

Mississippi Paddler Announces Remaining Dates in Alzheimer’s Awareness Tour

Keith Plunkett speaks to the media and an audience of 45-50
in attendance for a morning press conference at
St. Dominic Centre on Wednesday morning, February 16.
Plunkett will complete a year-long journey to paddle
Mississippi waters in July of 2011, amassing 847 miles.

Jackson, MS. February 16, 2011—Mississippi paddler and outdoorsman Keith Plunkett announced today the remaining schedule for a year of paddling Mississippi’s waterways. The effort began in July 2010 on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and has taken Plunkett on 336 miles of state waters that are both popular destinations and underutilized opportunities. During the trips the Yazoo County native and Flora resident continues to tell the stories of Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers in each region, and will highlight ongoing efforts by the Alzheimer’s Association and medical professionals to defeat the disease.

Over the next five months of paddling, Plunkett expects to paddle an additional 539 miles. He will continue speaking with groups across the state to raise awareness, and securing donations for the Mississippi Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. If his plans hold, he will shatter his original goal of 600 miles by 276. Plunkett expects to tally around 876 miles by the time the project finale is held on the Ross Barnett Reservoir.

Plunkett was joined during the 10 am press conference at St. Dominic Centre by St. Dominic President Sister Mary Dorothea Sondgrath, Dr. George Patton, Director of St. Dominic’s St. Catherine’s Village, and Meva Butler Director of Campbell Cove. Campbell Cove is a wing of the facility that deals directly with elderly Alzheimer’s patients.

Plunkett also issued a challenge to political donors in this year of hotly contested campaigns.

“We have just recently seen the latest campaign finance reports from the Secretary of State’s office. If you take just the amount of money raised by the announced candidates for state-wide office alone, it is probably in excess of $8 million,” Plunkett said. “Give me one percent, just one percent, of that for the Alzheimer’s Association through Lucy’s Revenge, and we will begin the ball rolling towards creating a project that seriously helps Mississippi families in need. That is my challenge to those who have given political donations, whether they are companies or individuals.”

Dr. Patton believes with the addition of the Mind Center at University Medical Center, and continued efforts from people to raise money; Mississippi is well positioned to be a leader in Alzheimer’s research.

The new research organization: the Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia (MIND) Center has a campaign underway to raise $9 million for the center’s personnel and program costs through private donations.

“UMC also received $26 million in grants for that project,” said Patton. “Dr. Tom Mosley will be the head of that facility, and he is known around the world for his work in the field.”

The Medical Center and four collaborating academic medical centers received the grants from the National Institutes of Health to identify risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and related forms of cognitive decline in July of 2010.

Plunkett said he is now looking ahead at ways to continue the project with annual events in one of each of five designated regions across the state.

“The idea is that we can build on the Memory Walk model the Alzheimer’s Association already has in place for annual events to keep the dollars rolling in,” said Plunkett. “I have already spoken with sponsors interested in being a part of that.”

Plunkett added that there is also an economic development and tourism benefit from the promotion of small river towns across the state.

“Some of the very places these events will be held are the ones that need a shot in the arm,” he said. “Not to mention some of these small towns and cities are the backbone of our state’s history.”

Plunkett’s grandmother was Lucy Plunkett. The matriarch of the Plunkett family reared six children, and oversaw the upbringing of 9 grandchildren. She was a housewife and an active member of the rural community of Little Yazoo in Yazoo County.

“I see this project as a symbol of me taking back what Alzheimer’s and Dementia took from her.”

The remaining dates for the Lucy’s Revenge Tour are as follows:

Spring/Summer Dates

Saturday February 19-Monday February 21: 3-day, 2-night trip on the Yalobusha River from Grenada to Greenwood.
52 miles.
Sponsored by Lifehelp Region 6 Mental Health Center-Garden Park Adult Day Center.

Saturday February 26-Sunday February 27: Overnight trip on the Sunflower River in celebration of Sunflower River month from Eagles Nest to New Africa.
20 miles.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Sunflower River.
For more information contact Quapaw Canoe Company in Clarksdale, Mississippi (662)627-4070

Saturday March 12: The second running of the Battle on the Bayou on Old Fort Bayou Ocean Springs. 9.5 miles.
For more information go to http://www.battleonthebayou.com/

Saturday March 19: Coldwater River.
Mileage TBD
Highlighting the conservation efforts of the Upper Coldwater River Watershed.
For more information go to http://www.coldwatertrail.org/

Saturday March 26-Sunday March 27: Overnight on the Mississippi River Muddy Waters Wilderness.
100 miles. Quapaw Landing to Warfield Point.
Sponsored by Quapaw Canoe Company
For more information contact Quapaw Canoe Company in Clarksdale, Mississippi (662)627-4070

Saturday April 16-Sunday April 27: Overnight on Bogue Chitto River.
27 miles. McComb to Dillon Bridge

Saturday April 23-Sunday April 24: Overnight on Bayou Pierre
50 miles. Dentville to Port Gibson

Saturday April 30-Sunday May 1: Overnight on the Yazoo River
43 miles. Satartia to Steele Bayou.

Saturday May 7-Sunday May 8: Overnight on the Homochitto River
36 miles. Eddiceton to Rosetta

Friday May 13-Sunday May 15: Overnights on the Leaf River
64 miles. Taylorsville to Old River Road

Saturday May 21-Sunday May 22: Overnight on the Red Creek
45.5 miles. Perkinston to Vestry

Saturday June 4-Sunday June 5: Overnight on Bear Creek
23 miles. Golden to Hwy 30.

Saturday June 11: Day trip on Chunky River
10 miles. Stucky Bridge to Enterprise

Saturday June 18-Sunday June 19: Overnight on the Bowie River.
26.5 miles. Highway 589 to Leaf River at Hattiesburg

Saturday July 2: Day Trip on the Pearl River
20 miles. Lefleurs Bluff through Jackson to Byram at the Swinging Bridge

Saturday July 9: Finale at the Ross Barnett Reservoir
13 miles. Tommy’s Trading Post to Madison Landing

Total Mileage for Spring/Summer Dates: 539.5 miles

Total Mileage since July of 2010: 336.5 miles

Grand Total Goal: 876 miles