Athlete's Disappointment Does Not Stop Her From Helping Ugandans Access Clean Drinking Water

About this sponsorship: In honor of the 60th anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary's historic ascent of Mount Everest, Patch and Grape-Nuts are teaming up to highlight those who inspire people around them to climb their own mountains.

Last summer, Beth O’Kain planned to attempt the 55-mile row from Cleveland to Rondeau Provincial Park in Canada without taking any breaks. She had already rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, the 33^rd American to do so. 

The trip was expected to take about 16 hours.

Sadly, a medical setback prevented her from the historic rowing attempt. O'Kain said she felt ready to take on the Lake Erie row, but was advised to postpone the trip, which prevented her from taking advantage of the short weather window.

Lake Erie’s conditions are unpredictable and change quickly, so the window of time the conditions were “just right” for the rowing attempt was narrow.

“The row could not be completed last summer due to medical reasons,” said O'Kain, 42, of Lakewood. “[It] was heartbreaking as I had committed so much of my emotional and physical energy into the project. Sometimes the hardest part of a challenging adventure is accepting when the conditions aren’t right.”

But she still accomplished her ultimate goal: raising money to drill a borehole for a well, and awareness of the absence of safe drinking water around the world.

“A goal of the row was to raise visibility of world water issues and raise funds to drill a borehole at St. Bonaventure Primary School in Uganda,” O’Kain said “The row raised $2,618, 100 percent of which was used for Drink Local. Drink Tap’s successful borehole project to provide save drinking water to 700 orphaned children.”

Although she hasn’t yet decided if she’ll make another attempt to row Lake Erie, O’Kain’s new goal is to get back into the rowing shape she was in when planning the Lake Erie crossing last summer. She says she may the row as part of a team. To follow her plans, visit GreatLakesRow.com.

“I may do a relay across the lake instead, so that all the planning isn’t lost,” she said. “I think once it’s successfully attempted, others will try.” 

Although she admits being disappointed about not being able to make the solo attempt last summer, O’Kain takes pride in successfully planning, training for and promoting the Lake Erie row, and for taking on challenges that few – or none – have tried. 

“I’ve rowed an ocean,” O’Kain said. “[Lakewood resident and Drink Local. Drink Tap co-founder] Erin [Huber] drilled a borehole in Uganda. We have unlimited potential. It starts by saying, ‘I can.’”

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