Dan Beaudoin Rediscovers a Passion I joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1970. I spent the majority of my career with various Combat Arms units. In 2004, I retired as a Chief Warrant Officer. I used to love canoeing. However, over the years I developed a serious inner ear issue, which caused me to have to give it up. In the summer of 2019, I decided to try kayaking and I quickly realized that my inner ear issue was manageable as the mechanics of kayaking made it that much easier and more comfortable. All of a sudden, my injury no longer prevented me from being on the water. My wife, WO Nancy Boutin who is also a Soldier On member, understood what I was going through and decided to start kayaking with me. It came to our attention that Soldier On would be hosting a kayaking clinic in Ottawa in September of 2020 and we immediately applied so that we could learn proper kayaking techniques. The kayaking clinic was exactly what we hoped it would be. We had a lot of fun and realized kayaking was the way to go for us. After attending the event, my wife and I both submitted applications to the Soldier On Grant Program. It was time for us to purchase our own kayaks. Fortunately, our applications were accepted, and we can now put into practice everything that we learned at the clinic. We love it! I have only used my kayak four times since our initial purchases this past October. Each time was truly peaceful and relaxing. It was the best decision I have ever made. We are greatly looking forward to next summer!