Dimitris Veroutis, a 14-year-old living in Kefalonia, Greeece, is paddling around his home island in a canoe-kayak for a week to raise funds and awareness for local charitable causes.

The teen is supporting the pediatric department of the General Hospital of Kefalonia and the Voluntary Forest Firefighting Team of Kefalonia, where he serves as a volunteer.

Veroutis is receiving support for this endeavor from Desmos, a Greek non-profit organization which coordinates the donating process between donors and other organizations in order to help vulnerable population groups.

“During the past year with the pandemic in full force and witnessing the difficulties our society is facing, I decided I wanted to do something to help my island,” Veroutis said.

Desmos is supporting the junior high schooler’s efforts through its Teens for Teens program which empowers teens to perform meaningful work while doing something of interest to them. Since launching in May 2020, the program has made acts of volunteering by teenagers an integral part of the non-profit foundation’s charitable work.

Veroutis’ paddle tour lasts from Monday, May 3, to Monday, May 10, and covers a total distance of approximately 120 miles.

Donations to his campaign can be made via the Desmos website by selecting “Paddling for Kefalonia” as the donation’s purpose.

You can follow Dimitris’s effort on his social media including Facebook and Instagram, as well as through Desmos’ social media including Facebook and Instagram where there will be frequent updates.