For some people, spending a day on the water at Lake Monroe seems like an impossible dream.
On Aug. 17 and 18, those impossible dreams will come true for veterans and children with special needs during the Freedom Waters Foundation boat outings.
Debra Frenkel, founder and executive director of Freedom Waters Foundation, said her favorite part of boat outings is seeing the happiness and freedom that the events create.
"Parents with kids in electric wheelchairs think that they'll never be able to take their child boating, but here they get to go boating and have a great time while seeing their child smiling and laughing," Frenkel said. "I can't tell you how many times a veteran has said to me, 'This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me since I came back.'"
Aug. 17 is for veterans and their families and Aug. 18 is for children with special needs and their families. This will be the third year Freedom Waters Foundation has hosted boat outings on Lake Monroe.
Freedom Waters Foundation is a nonprofit organization that does therapeutic boating for people with disabilities, life threatening illnesses, youth at risk and veterans. Although the organization is based in Florida, it comes to different states including Georgia and Indiana once a year to host events.
According to Frenkel, the event is held at Fourwinds Lakeside Inn and Marina because the owner, Doug Trainer, was on her board of directors and offered his marina.
Frenkel said there is room for more veterans for the event on Saturday while there are over 300 people signed up for Sunday -- so more boats are needed to get everyone out on the water.
Local boat owners who can donate their time and the use of their boat can sign up on Freedom Waters Foundation's website. Even if someone does not have a boat, Frenkel said sponsorships or even just donating time is extremely helpful.
"We don't own any boats, so we recruit commercial and private boats to take the people out and we do all the matching the day of," Frenkel said. "We do a two-hour boat trip, and then we come back at noon and have a barbecue lunch and live music."