About Us

If you are not familiar with us, One Square Mile of Hope was conceived by Connie Perry, owner of Frisky Otter Tours, and a small group of friends who had formed the Inlet Area Business Association to help promote tourism. Connie Perry had lost a close friend to breast cancer in 2007 and was looking for a way to commemorate her as well as raise funds to help eradicate the disease. Then someone came up with the idea of a Guinness Record attempt for the largest raft of canoes, kayaks and guide boats. The idea appealed to the entire group, and One Square Mile of Hope was born.

So, a small group of very focused and determined individuals came together in 2008, 2011 and then again in 2014 to break and then retake the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest raft of canoes, kayaks and guide boats, while raising funds for some great causes.  All of our events took place on beautiful Fourth Lake in Inlet, NY.

After holding this record for 9 years, and many requests to do it again, we are proud to announce that on September 14, 2024 we will be out to break our own record while raising funds for some great new causes.

This has not just been a friendly competition between Cleveland (OH), Pittsburgh (PA), and Suttons Bay (MI), but a very directed effort to bring people together in all of our events to peacefully make a united stand for our selected causes. Each group raised funds for their communities differently such as our breast cancer endeavor and Suttons Bay local school district fundraiser.

There are no words to convey the power of 1,104, 1,902 and then 3,150 Canoes, Kayaks and Guide Boats gathered and held together by human hands to make a difference. There are also no words to express the gratitude for the generation of over $300,000 between our three events that went to breast cancer awareness, prevention and research. In partnership with Kiwanis Club of Farmington-Victor, we are going to resurrect One Square Mile of Hope in September to strengthen the title and raise funds to benefit the Golisano Children’s Hospitals of Rochester & Syracuse along with local First Responders and Kiwanis Club of Farmington-Victor. We are asking you to join us in this challenge not only to beat our record but to further the effort of our goals.