New ACA Member Benefit

As you know, the ACA has an entire department, Safety Education & Instruction, dedicated to providing paddlesports education and safety resources to entities across the country.

However, even the most prepared paddler might encounter hardships...an unintended swim, a broken limb, or a bump on the head.

The ACA is now offering an exclusive member benefit, Outdoor Recreation Insurance (ORI).

This is a Personal Accident Insurance policy specifically designed and underwritten for snow, mountain and paddle enthusiasts.

For complete information, and ACA member specific enrollment options, please visit: www.americancanoe.org/ori

If you have any questions, please just let me know.

Helen Oyen
Insurance Coordinator
American Canoe Association

Partnership Renewed

Earlier this week, ACA staff attended the Paddlesports Industry Association (PIA) annual conference in Kentucky. After meeting with PIA staff and their Board of Directors, the final stages of a renewed partnership are shaping up and will hopefully be announced in early 2010.

Since both of our organizations provide valuable services to canoeists, kayakers, and rafters across the country, it's logical that we continue to improve our working relationship for the betterment of all who paddle a boat away from shore.

The ACA would like to extend a special thanks to PIA Executive Director Ed Council for his visionary leadership and his continued commitment to improving paddlesports for all. The paddling community is fortunate to have someone of Ed's caliber steering us in a productive direction.

If you have a partnership idea or initiative, please contact any of the ACA Staff.

Paddle Safe - Paddle Often,
Christopher Stec
Safety Education & Instruction Department

May 2010 Event - Colorado

The ACA has teamed up with the Paddlesports Industry Association, the Shimoda Group, Recreation Engineering & Planning, and Northwest Hydraulic Consultants to design a conference for those who build, maintain, manage, promote, and use whitewater courses and parks. From the whitewater superparks to a river feature downtown, this is the premier event for learning about this aspect of whitewater paddling.

The Conference Steering Committee is calling for abstract submissions. If you are interested in presenting at the WCP Conference the submission deadline is November 30th.

Whitewater Courses & Parks Conference

For other ACA related events across the country in 2010, visit the ACA Event Calendar.

Paddle Safe - Paddle Often,
Christopher Stec
Safety Education & Instruction Department

Highlights

In case you missed it last month, the next ACA National Paddlesports Conference will be in western North Carolina in the fall of 2010.

Highlights from this years conference, including some incredible adaptive paddling innovations, are now online: www.americancanoe.org/NationalPaddlesportsConference

Stay tuned, there's more to come from YOUR ACA...

Paddle Safe - Paddle Often,
Christopher Stec
Safety Education & Instruction Department

Green Paddle for Waterway Conservation Award

Local Canoe/Kayak Group Wins Prestigious National Award

ACA Recognizes Elmer Eddy & the Stewards of the White Oak River Basin for Outstanding Work in Waterways Conservation

Celebrating 130 years as a nonprofit, member-supported canoeing and kayaking organization, the American Canoe Association this week awarded Elmer Eddy & the Stewards of the White Oak River Basin with its annual “Green Paddle Award for Waterway Conservation.”

Nominated by ACA members, the award recognizes the individual or group that has made an outstanding contribution to paddlesports by protecting America’s waterways.

The Stewards of the White Oak River Basin are a group of paddlers in the coastal region of North Carolina. Led by the hardy octogenarian Elmer Eddy, the Stewards have a simple phi­losophy: Always try to leave the rivers and bays that they paddle cleaner than when they arrived. The Stewards pick up trash and remove invasive plants whenever and wherever they paddle.

In 2008, the Stewards decided to do some public education to complement their trash removal efforts. They applied for an ACA Club-Fostered Stewardship grant to purchase anti-littering signs for their volunteers to post throughout the watershed. The ACA awarded them a grant to assist with their efforts. The signs tell the public that people are taking care of the waterways, and discourage them from littering.

“The American Canoe Association is proud to support more than 140 Paddle America Clubs around the nation,” said Martin A. Bartels, Executive Director of the ACA. “Our Club-Fostered Stewardship Grants, sponsored by longtime partner L.L. Bean, gives us the opportunity to support important environmental work at the grassroots level.

“Over the past four years, the ACA and LL Bean have funded more than $40,000 worth of stewardship efforts—from water trail construction to river clean-ups—and the work of the Stewards of the White Oak River Basin is a great example of the commitment and dedication of our large network of volunteers.”

www.americancanoe.org/awards

The ACA National Office Staff

Stroke of Acheivement Award

Canoe Club of Greater Harrisburg Grabs National Award

ACA Recognizes Canoe Club with ‘Stroke of Achievement’ Award

Celebrating 130 years as a nonprofit, member-supported canoeing and kayaking organization, the American Canoe Association this week recognized the remarkable work of the Canoe Club of Greater Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, awarding it ACA’s “Stroke of Achievement.”

Nominated by ACA members and paddlesport event participants, the award is presented to one ACA-affiliated club each year for superior performance and program development, considering elements such as volunteerism, organization, outreach, and alignment with ACA’s motto of “Education, Recreation, Stewardship and Competition.”

Since 1976, the Canoe Club of Greater Harrisburg, Pennsyl­vania, has a long and success­ful tradition as one of the top paddlesport clubs in the region. Their breadth of programming and commitment to all aspects of paddlesports is exemplary.


Based out of the greater Har­risburg area, the CCGH has an active core of dedicated vol­unteers, a superb instruction program, and a trip program for beginners and intermediates. The club accommodates both canoes and kayaks, from peaceful lake trips to significant whitewater excursions.

The club additionally sponsors several an­nual membership events, which draw a considerable number of participants. In addition, they helped the ACA significantly with the Paddle Safe—Paddle Smart program hosted in their area.

“The American Canoe Association has an exceptional resource in its more than 140 Paddle America™ Clubs,” said Martin A. Bartels, Executive Director of the ACA. “In its 33 years, the Canoe Club of Greater Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has set an amazing standard that truly exemplifies the ACA spirit.

Such clubs not only encourage and empower people who want to explore the outdoors, they also increase paddler safety by exposing them to highly trained instructors, and draw attention to the need to protect our recreational waterways.”

www.americancanoe.org/awards

The ACA National Office Staff

Sanctioned Event of the Year

Wausau Kayak/Canoe Corporation Grabs Event of the Year Award

ACA Recognizes Open Canoe Slalom Nationals & North American Championships

Celebrating 130 years as a nonprofit, member-supported canoeing and kayaking organization, the American Canoe Association this week recognized the remarkable success of the Open Canoe Slalom Nationals & North American Championships, hosted by the Wausau Kayak/Canoe Corporation earlier this year.

Nominated by ACA members and paddlesport event participants, the award recognizes the top ACA-sanctioned event in the country, considering elements such as participation, event organization, professionalism, competitive aspects, and alignment with ACA’s motto of “Education, Recreation, Stewardship and Competition.”

The ACA Open Canoe Slalom Nationals & North American Championships hosted by the Wausau Kayak/Canoe Corpora­tion truly exemplified how a di­verse group of volunteers, along with the support of a community, can host an international ACA-sanctioned event. Participants came from across the U.S., as well as Canada.

There was a two day pre-event clinic, two days of practice water releases, and three full days of competition. The race also promoted youth develop­ment. Junior Olympic athletes attended, as well as several youth who raced in the Jr/Sr races. The support for these classes at this event was significant and firmly illustrated their commitment to­wards the future of paddlesports.

The organization and profession­alism of the three Race Directors and the Wausau Kayak/Canoe Corporation staff and volunteers was exemplary throughout the entire event.

“The American Canoe Association is proud to sanction literally thousands of paddling events around the country each year,” said Martin A. Bartels, Executive Director of the ACA. “So it’s no small achievement to develop a competitive event that hits so many high marks. The leadership exemplified by the race directors, staff and volunteers with the Wausau Kayak/Canoe Corporation is a great example for other communities and clubs who want to take advantage of their recreational waterways.

Such events not only encourage and empower people who want to explore the outdoors, they also increases paddler safety by exposing them to highly trained instructors, and draw attention to the need to protect our recreational waterways.”

www.americancanoe.org/awards

The ACA National Office Staff