I hope I have the words to capture the joy and bravery and love and feeling I witnessed today on a Lake George river boat called the Lac Du Saint Sacrement, owned and operated by the Lake George Steamboat Company.

Thanks to the Army of Good, I purchased tickets for 14 residents and staff members of the Mansion, a Medicaid Assisted Care Facility in my town of Cambridge, N.Y.

It cost a few hundred dollars, it was worth so much more.

This is the second year we have taken this boat ride, and it has brought as much emotion. happiness and pure love of life as anything we have done so far. I loved seeing the residents – only a handful could actually make the trip physically – and the staff, dance, brave the sun and the wind, smile and laugh as I have never seen them do before.

There was a generous buffet lunch, cake for dessert, and a disc jockey with some loud speakers and a shiny dance floor. We used all of these things.

I was moved by so many things, but especially the bravery of these people on the edge of life, their courage at stretching the boundaries of what they could do, their determination to live life fully, knowing full well their days are not endless.

At the end they begged to promise we can do it again, and I promised we would, in the Spring of 2019, and the Fall of the same year. “Oh, good,” said Peggie, “I will make it a point to be alive.

It was a beautiful day. The cruise is a lunch and dance cruise, we boarded at noon, had a buffet lunch, braved the wind on the lower decks, and then marched together (some had to be pushed) to the dance floor.

I saw Alice, who can barely walk with a walker, or pull open a door, come bravely out to the dance floor to do the twist, I saw grumpy Allan and quiet Mary get up to walk in a congo line, I saw Peggy dance for a few minutes, sit down to catch her breath, and get up to do the twist. And we were astonished to see frail Jean, who can only walk a few feet by herself, somehow up on the balcony watching the dancing and clapping.

I saw Wayne, dance with some Red Hat women in his wheel chair, his grin was almost wider than his face. The staff – Julie, Kassi, Bonnie – seemed full of love and joy, they were so attentive, loving and supportive of these brave people, who moved past bad hearts, sore legs, arthritis and a dozen other severe health problems to dance, let the wind blow their hats off, stare thoughtfully at the water, think of better days, revel in this day.

The staff is so selfless and so patient and giving, the boat ride made them radiant, they glowed.

I never felt better about what I do than on this beautiful day on the water with these simple and good people.

For all of the good deeds we set out to do, this one felt so warm, was so much fun to watch, was so uplifting and touching and beautiful in so many ways, I am running out of words to describe it, so I’ll put up a bunch of photos that I think might help capture what I saw perhaps more eloquently than I can express.

Come along and feel good on this ride, as I did.

At the end of the day, I asked the people on the trip if anyone wanted to go to the Gift Shop across the street for a souvenir. I saw some hesitation.

“How many of you have no money today?,” I asked.

Five hands went up.

“So you are winners of the days special contest,” I said. “I will pay for a souvenir for each of you to buy.” They could hardly believe it. Peggy got a pink sweatshirt, Wayne bought a bottle for one of the aides, Ruth bought a cap for her sick “hubby” Ken, and a keychain for herself.

I loved see them heading off to the Mansion van with their plastic bags. We all were contest winners today, the contest was how to live our lives in fullness and joy, no matter what we face.

Come along and see, this was one of the best days of my life, and I thank you for helping make it possible. I believe good deeds are selfless and selfish, but if there is a heaven, they will be glad to see you for doing this. I hope you can know how much good it will do.

For people pushed to the very edge of life, this was a day so worth living for and sharing.

Now, pictures.

You can help me continue this work by sending a contribution to Jon Katz, c/o P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816, or via Paypal, [email protected]. Please mark you donation “The Mansion.”

I’m going to reserve the Spring ride tomorrow.

Audio: Thanks To You