Meet Mary Anne
Author⋅ Retreat Facilitator
Author
Mary Anne Smrz is an avid kayaker who uses insights gained on the water to enrich her own life and the lives of others. She finds depth and meaning in her life from the solitude of kayaking. In her Reflections from the Red Kayak book series, she shares introspective thoughts on how lessons learned on the water help us all to navigate the uncharted waters of life.
Mary Anne’s books have received accolades from the Wisconsin Writer’s Association and Writer’s Digest. Mary Anne was honored to launch her book, Paddlin’ with Thoreau, at Thoreau College in Viroqua, Wisconsin, and present excerpts at the 2024 Annual Gathering of The Thoreau Alliance in Concord, Massachusetts. The Thoreau Alliance is the oldest and largest organization devoted to an American author and is dedicated to promoting Thoreau’s life and works.
She currently speaks at local libraries and other organizations giving book talks and presentations, sharing her love of water and the sacredness of nature. Mary Anne received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois in Chicago and her master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. She writes from her home in northern Wisconsin
Mary Anne leads the fund raising retreat for the
Jan Malloy Memorial Paddle
Retreat Facilitator
A number of years ago, while caught in a cycle of grief, Mary Anne kayaked her way to healing. As a result, she founded and guided the Red Kayak Institute from 2012-2019, leading kayaking retreats for cancer survivors, caregivers, fundraising retreats for local high school scholarship funds, retreats for women in 12-step recovery programs, writer’s workshops and more.
Mary Anne Smrz and the staff of the Red Kayak Institute asked individuals facing life challenges to leave them on the shore during their retreat time on the water. It’s the power of the “pause.” When participants get out of their comfort zone into a kayak, the simplicity of the boat and silence on the water takes them on an inward journey. The mission statement, “Encouraging people facing challenges to reclaim themselves and receive the healing benefits of kayaking. Just add water,” still resonates in our fast-paced world today.
Mary Anne continues to offer her individual services as a kayaking retreat facilitator in collaboration with other nonprofit groups and organizations. Her love of kayaking inspires her to help others experience the calming and transformative effects of being on the water. She is passionate about the healing benefits of being in the sacred sanctuary of the natural world.