Members Only

Exclusive 'Members Only' Backcountry Paddling Opportunities

That's right, if you're an ACA member, you can join the ACA staff on either of two incredible excursions in 2010.

San Juan Islands - Sea Kayaking - Pacific Northwest
Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande - Canoe Camping - Texas / Mexico Border

In cooperation with the host organization, you will be able to paddle with representatives from the ACA National Office, creating a better connection with those working daily on your behalf.

In addition, a percentage of each registration fee goes directly to support the on-going efforts of the ACA on behalf on all paddlers to fulfill our mission of Education, Stewardship, Recreation & Competition.

www.americancanoe.org/excursions

The Touring Canoe Committee

The ACA's Touring Canoe Committee has done it again!

They've recently published a comprehensive newsletter pertaining to events, symposiums, instruction, and unique canoeing articles.

Read the Cross Post

For additional information about Canoe Touring and Freestyle Canoeing click here

Thank you to all of the volunteers on the committee who donate their time and expertise.

The ACA National Office Staff

2010 National Paddlesports Conference

NEWS RELEASE

The date & location for the 2010 ACA National Paddlesports Conference have been announced:

Location: Asheville, NC

Dates: November 5-7, 2010

Preliminary information available at: www.americancanoe.org/nationalpaddlesportsconference

Mark your calendars now, the 3rd annual National Paddlesports Conference is not to be missed!

The Chesapeake Bay

A Treasured Landscape

In response to President Obama's Chesapeake Executive Order, the ACA has partnered with the National Geographic Society, Friends of the John Smith Chesapeake Trail and 20 other notable organizations and agencies in calling for federal support of the Chesapeake Bay Treasured Landscape Initiative.

Read more...

Community Responsibility

In addition to furthering paddlesports Education, Stewardship, Recreation and Competition on a national level, the ACA staff devotes time and energy to the immediate community we call home, Fredericksburg, VA.

Historic battlefields, a growing downtown, and a commitment to an active, outdoor, healthy lifestyle are just some of the characteristics of the greater Fredericksburg area. In addition, the beautiful Rappahannock River provides paddling and wildlife viewing opportunities that range from flatwater to whitewater to tidal.

We are proud to have our national headquarters here and glad that we can give back to the community that has provided us with so much support. Thank you to the citizens and organizations of Fredericksburg and we look forward to working with you throughout 2010.

Read more about the ACA's Community Responsibility initiative.

COWs

COWs

That's right, Canoes On Wheels is a spectacular program that provides equipment and training to school and youth groups...AT NO COST!

To learn more about this great initiative, visit Canoes on Wheels .

Paul Sanford
Director of Stewardship & Public Policy

Paddle America Club

Dear folks at ACA,

We want to take this opportunity to thank you for recognizing the Canoe Club of Greater Harrisburg with the 2009 ACA Stroke of Excellence award.

It was a very pleasant surprise and the recognition is greatly appreciated. As I stated at the banquet, this award represents thirty-three years of people in our club volunteering their time and effort to the betterment of paddle sport.

It is with deep regret that we announce the recent passing of Cliff Dillmann, one of our founding members. He was our environmental Chairman, a canoe instructor and a pillar in the local environmental community. We have dedicated this fine award to his memory at our December meeting and award banquet.

I enjoyed meeting the folks at ACA and even saw a couple of people I have worked with in the past. Bob Kaufman comes to mind. Most of all I was thrilled to see Joe Jacobi and to hold his Olympic gold medal. Joe and his partner, Scott Strasbaugh, raced at our Fiddlers Elbow Slalom many years ago and Casey Eichfeld raced his first ever solo race at Fiddlers Elbow where he met his future C2 partner, Rick Powell. They were five years old. I keep telling everyone who will listen that the Penn Cup races are a vital part of the nurturing of our cadet and junior slalom racers. We at CCGH are extremely proud of our part and we thank the ACA for your sanctioning and insurance coverage for all these years.

Sincerely,

Walt Sieger
Slalom Race Chairman
Training Chairman

National Environmental Education Week

The ACA supports the National Environmental Education Week

April 11-17, 2010

National Environmental Education Week (EE Week, http://www.eeweek.org/) connects educators with environmental resources to promote K-12 students’ understanding of the environment. Held each year the week before Earth Day, EE Week is the nation’s largest environmental education event.

Our nation’s water and energy resources are increasingly relevant topics of discussion in today’s media, classrooms and homes. Recognizing the importance of conserving both water and energy in order to protect the planet and reduce costs, and acknowledging the interdependence between water and energy, EE Week’s 2010 theme is Be Water and Energy Wise!

To learn about other programs that your ACA supports in regards to responsible use of our water resources, please visit: www.americancanoe.org/stewardship

Paddling Club Testimonial

Dear Helen (ACA's Insurance Coordinator),

I wanted to tak a moment to express my great thanks and appreciation for all your hard work in support of our Pennsylvania Sojourns this year.

Your help was absolutely essential to our success. Your thoroughness throughout the season, attention to detail, and of course your warm and positive attitude made it a pleasure to work with you.

In short, we are very thankful to have ACA as a lasting partner in the Pennsylvania Sojourn program.

Jonathan Meade

Executive Director

Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers

Tomorrow's the deadline!

Reminder:

Your ballot for the 2010 ACA Board of Directors must be postmarked by tomorrow, Tuesday, January 5th.

To access the ballot online, please visit: www.americancanoe.org/2010ballot

Anne Vetterlein

Membership Director

Value in 2010

As we celebrate the new year, we generally tend to reflect back and then look forward. Such is the case with your ACA.

Whether it was the successful National Paddlesports Conference back in October, or the ACA's resolution that 2010 is the Year of Inclusive Paddlesports, the breadth of activity is as expansive as the ocean's horizon.

More than a magazine, more than a national instruction program, the staff and volunteers of the ACA work tirelessly every day to represent the interests of the 50 million people who canoe, kayak, and raft annually.

Thank you for giving us this opportunity to make a positive impact for paddlers across the country.

To learn more about the value the ACA provides to the paddlesports community in the areas of education, stewardship, recreation and competition, please visit: www.americancanoe.org

The ACA National Office Staff