When Dwight and Shelley Durant retired, bought a boat and spent some extended time in the serene waters of the Bahamas, they knew they wanted to share that experience with others in a meaningful way.

That wish soon turned into the Ten-Seven Retreat which serves the families of police officers from Oklahoma who have died in the line of duty.

“Our inspiration was that we wanted to find a way to give back to law enforcement,” said Shelley as the two addressed the Kingfisher Lions Club last week.

Shelley Durant is a retired nurse.

Dwight Durant retired from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and served with Kingfisher Lions Club member and fellow retiree Bill Reitz.

The Durants, who live in Jenks, took part in the Great Loop, a 6,500-mile continuous waterway trek that includes parts of the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, inland rivers and canals and the Great Lakes.

During that journey, they realized the beauty and calming nature of the Bahamas, which eventually led them to want to share it with others.

A few phone calls and lots of documentation later and the Ten-Seven Retreat, a non-profit 501(c)(3), became a reality.

Ten-Seven went live just over a year ago and last August approached the family of Washington County Deputy Kyle Davis, who was killed in the line of duty in 2021.

Davis’ wife and two children were the first to be treated to the all-expense paid trip.

“We make sure everything is paid for from the minute they leave their house until they return,” Dwight said.

That includes airfare to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and an evening in a hotel on the beach prior to heading to the Bahamas.

“That gives them a night on the beach without us,” Dwight said.

The family is provided money for meals, police escorts in and out of airports and limousine rides to and from the airport.

From Ft. Lauderdale, the family flew to Staniel Cay Airport in the Bahamas to begin their nearly weeklong adventure on the Durants’ 42-foot Leopard Catamaran.

For five days, the Durants captain the boat as they sail up and down the Bahamas.

Activities include fishing, snorkeling, kayaking, swimming, hiking, bonfires on the beach, island exploration, a visit to Pig Beach, learning the basics of sailing and much more.

The Durants designed a special “treasure hunt” for Davis’ children during their exhibition.

“They had so much fun,” Shelley said. “We had so much fun doing it.”

The week is meant to be a new start.

“We are trying to help them reset their lives and start making memories together as a smaller family,” he said.

It worked, at least with the Davis family.

Upon return, they were contacted by the mother.

“She told us that her children were once again who they were before the event with their father happened,” Shelley said.

The Durants are currently raising funds to take the family of C.J. Nelson next year (the trips are currently made during Spring Break).

Nelson was an Edmond Police Department officer killed in an accident while on duty last July. His children were 11 and 7 at the time.

To learn more about Ten-Seven Retreat, visit the website at tensevenretreat. org.

There are journals of the Davis family trip on the website and videos of the adventures - including the treasure hunt - can be found by searching for Ten-Seven Freedom (the name of the boat) on both YouTube and Facebook.

The Lions Club made a $100 donation to the Durants at the end of the meeting.