As a firefighter, Allen Williford is used to putting his life on the line. Alongside his involvement in raising funds for cancer research, he has also donated his time to helping local veterans. 

Combining his passion to help those who have served for the country with the desire to go on a long kayaking trip led to the creation of his fundraiser,  which travels from Raleigh to New Bern on the Neuse River. 

The organization’s name, “Paddling for Pennies,” and the kayaking comes from Williford’s desire to create a group different from other fundraisers.

“Everyone is bombarded getting asked to donate,” he said.

Williford remembers pledges from childhood where people would donate a nickel per mile walked in a fundraiser. His idea for this fundraiser was similar — he asks donors to give one penny per mile of the kayaker’s trip, totaling to $1.93 for the 193 miles. 

For Williford, it’s not so much about the money as it is being able to give back.

Williford and his team work with the nonprofit Firefighters Assisting Armed Forces Families (FAAFF), as well as the US Veterans Corps (USVC), who help Williford get in contact with local veterans. The USVC runs Toys for Tots, a popular program that collects toys for children around the holiday season.

Sponsoring an Elon alumnus

This year, the USVC reached out to Williford about sponsoring Kimberly Fix ’10, a veteran who served in Afghanistan in 2012. Fix suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) when she was rear-ended while stationed in Vicenza, Italy, in May 2014 and was in a coma for more than a year. She is completely immobilized and has 24/7 nursing care. 

She now lives at home with her 4-year-old daughter Rory and her husband Joey in Southern Pines, North Carolina.

“[The USVC] fill the gap between what the government can’t provide and what people need,” said Karee White, Fix’s mother.

While at Elon, Fix was involved in ROTC and Alpha Xi Delta, who White said have been a great source of support for Fix.

Making strides

Though Fix is unable to communicate and is immobilized, she has come a long way since the accident 18 months ago. 

“She was the lowest you can be on the responsiveness scale,” White said.

She now has the cognitive abilities to understand what people are saying and read and track movement but, it is a slow process.

“I can’t imagine the frustration,” White said. 

White said she had concerns that Fix would not have any more improvements after three months out of a TBI. Usually, if a patient hasn’t improved by then, there is worry they won’t see much further improvement. 

But for Fix, this was not the case. Her family continues to challenge her to grow stronger so she can keep improving her cognitive skills throughout her lifetime.

There was worry that when Williford went to visit Fix to share the news of the sponsorship that Fix wouldn’t yet be able to comprehend the situation. But White remembers how she was looking around, tracking and paying attention to the situation and how it floored Williford, who was not expecting such strides to have been made.

For Fix’s family, it was humbling to be chosen to be carried by the group.

“These young guys could be so caught up in their life, but they want to do something for a higher purpose,” White said. “Honestly, it’s not the money. For us, it’s the emotion we have knowing that Williford’s group wants to carry Kimmy’s burden.”

The group is taking on 50 miles per day for four days starting May 19 in Raleigh and ending on May 22 in New Bern. Williford said it’s a hard trip and he’s had people drop out before, but he’s excited and ready for this year’s paddle.

“It means a lot to be able to paddle,” Williford said. “You’re cold, tired, hungry, sore. We’re in plastic and everything hurts, but the people we’re doing this for have it worse.”

Paddling for Pennies is only in its third year, and this is the second year the core group of firefighters, including Williford, has decided to “carry” a sponsor for their trip. Last year, Williford was accompanied by Brian Bunn, Charles Horton, Paul Zais and Eric Jones, who will be paddling again come May. 

“This isn’t just an average fundraiser,” White said. “It’s a movement.”

Looking back at the past 18 months, White said the family wouldn’t change a thing. It was a tragedy, but it has allowed the family to see miracles happen with their daughter and reminded them of what is truly important in life. The mood is always positive and the focus remains on rehabilitation. Time with her daughter Rory only motivates Fix further.

“She’s got a reason to get better,” White said. “Kimmy wants to be there for Rory and be the mom to her daughter.”