At noon Saturday, Kelowna's Tom Whalen climbed into his red kayak and started paddling. He was alone out there, circling and circling Gallagher Lake, just north of Oliver. And he wouldn't stop until noon Sunday, 24 hours after he began.

Photo Credit: PentictonNow

What compels someone to do that? For Whalen, a guy who's been touched again and again during his 60 years by suicide, and who at one point many years ago felt so hopeless that he attempted it himself, it was a natural fit.

A water sports enthusiast, he'd had a light bulb moment last year while living in Ontario. He would kayak 'round the clock to publicize suicide awareness and raise money for its prevention. And that's exactly what he did.

Photo Credit: PentictonNow

This year it was BC's turn for what Whalen has dubbed "Paddle for Life."

Amongst those at the lake Saturday afternoon was good friend Diane LeBlanc. LeBlanc works with Whalen at the Cornerstone Shelter in Kelowna and she spent much of the past few weeks organizing the event. And right now she was sorting the souvenir table and making everything look nice.

"If we can give hope, if we can inspire people to look for the signs, then it's all worth it. How many people are walking around saying, 'If only I would have listened, if only I'd seen the signs, if only she would have spoken to me.'"

LeBlanc joined the rest of the group at water's edge to cheer Whalen as he came by, and continued.

Photo Credit: PentictonNow

"We got here last night. We took the cabins for four days so he could train before the paddle. And there was a lot of setting up to do. But it's turned out well. Look at this beautiful day!"

She was right. The sun had just peeked over the mountain to the east and the warmth felt good.

"He's wearing his lifebelt and he has his rain gear. But he's barefoot. He has to be barefoot to get in the kayak. So once he gets in, he dries his feet off and keeps a towel on them."

Next time by, Whalen pulled tight to the shore to grab a bottle of water, and pointed to the photos he'd sealed in plastic and taped to the cockpit rim. Each of the four people in the four photos had ended their life prematurely. And Whalen knew all of them.

"This is for them," he said.

Photo Credit: PentictonNow

Ultimately, he'd complete 102 full circuits of the lake – two more than his goal. And on the last lap he did his own cleanup, hauling in the milk jug markers he'd placed in the water prior to the start.

Inside those jugs were glowsticks, which, along with flashlights strapped to his bow and stern, were his only illumination between sundown and sunup.

After it was over, Whalen was flat our zonked. "I was extremely tired. My hands, my arms. I didn't want to get out of the boat at first cuz i was afraid of cramping up."

"I coasted a bit in the last 20 laps," he laughed.

Photo Credit: PentictonNow

He was also optimistic. "The whole thing was very spiritual. I feel really emotional. I want to build on this for next year."

All money raised will go to the Canadian Mental Health Association, and Whalen emphasizes that donations are still accepted here.

Photo Credit: PentictonNow

Next year, they're targeting the third week of September. The location has yet to be determined.