Paddler Magazine...

We're Back!

From a new rescue for canoeists to spectacular destination paddling to compelling stories to whitewater parks, this issue is not to be missed.

Check your mailboxes for the Spring issue of the Maggie Award winning Paddler Magazine.

Paddler Magazine is just one of the many benefits of being an ACA member.

Tonight!

The ACA has partnered with the Capital Ale House's Community Chest Night program.

Show your support of the ACA by having dinner with the ACA staff at the Fredericksburg Capital Ale House tonight (Thursday April 29th)!

25% of food sales for each table presenting the

ACA Community Chest Night Flyer between the hours of 5:00pm and 10:00 pm during the event will be donated to the ACA.

Location: 917 Caroline St., Fredericksburg, VA

Time: 5:00 - 10:00pm

Download the Flyer, enjoy a good meal, and help the ACA support paddlesports Education, Stewardship, Recreation & Competition!

On your behalf..

Monday through Wednesday of this week, Wade Blackwood, Chris Stec and Paul Sanford have been meeting with our Outdoor Alliance counterparts in Washington D.C. to address human powered recreation opportunities with various federal agencies.

Learn more about this valuable coalition and the ACA's role in representing the needs of paddlers at the local, state and national levels, click here.

San Juan Islands & Rio Grande

If you're an ACA member, join the national Office Staff on either of these two exclusive, member only trips.

San Juan Islands - Sea Kayaking: June 14-18

Rio Grande - Canoe Camping: November 21-28

For complete information: 2010 ACA Excursions

ACA Supports Earth Day

Join the ACA Staff at Old Mill Park in Fredericksburg tomorrow (Saturday, April 24th) as we celebrate the natural resources we all hold dear.

For more information, visit our national Event Calendar.

Consider taking a personal, small step in improving the water environment near where you live: pick up litter, join a conservation project, take a shorter shower, install a rain barrel. If we all do our part, we can make the world a better place.

Learn more about the ACA's Stewardship programs in your area.

ACA Subaru's

Coming to a paddling festival near you...the ACA's 2010 Subaru!

As the weather is beginning to turn warmer and boats are getting out on the water, when you see an ACA Subaru waterside, stop by and meet the staff who's driving it. You never know, you just might find a new paddling partner for the day!

Visit the ACA Event Calendar for a list of paddling events across the country.

Remember, if you've been an ACA Member for more than 6 months, you qualify for a discount on the purchase of a Subaru vehicle through our VIP Partners Program.

Paddling Heros

When you hear "Paddling Heros" in our sport, a lot of people immediately conjure young turks hucking off 100-ft. waterfalls, throwing ends in massive holes or sunburned paddlers easing into port after 1,000 mile journeys. I stopped for a minute and tried to think who my paddling heros were and was led in a quite different direction.

I thought of two ladies that tow a trailer of boats every year from Houston, Texas to North Carolina for Carolina Canoe Club's annual "Week of Rivers". Two ladies who volunteer every day of that week of their vacation to lead beginner and novice boaters down rivers that they've never done before; runs that will likely form the most important lasting impression in those new boaters' minds of what paddling is all about for them for the rest of their lives. Two ladies that represent what ACA paddlers and paddlesports are all about to a whole new group of eager paddlers, year after year.

These ladies are Susan Eda and Pat Isley of Houston, Texas. Susan and Pat started attending Week of Rivers in 1987 after having been shown these rivers by other experienced paddlers in NC. The camaraderie and mentoring they experienced in this kind of paddling group was not lost on Susan and Pat. They quickly realized that they too could be a part of this never-ending chain and took up the role of mentor for a whole new generation.

Susan and Pat are both ACA and American Red Cross Instructor Trainers in Canoeing. Susan is also a Kayaking Instructor for both organizations. In Texas, they lead the Spring Woods Canoe Group, which is a group of volunteer instructors who teach canoeing, kayaking, and rescue skills to Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and the general public.

If those credentials don't qualify as "Paddling Heros", I don't know what can. You can probably find these heros in every ACA Paddle America Club across North America. I make it a point every year to thank them for what they mean to our club and our sport. Who are your paddling heros?

-Larry Ausley
ACA Board of Directors and Secretary
River and Coastal Kayaking Instructor

ACA eStore

That's right, the ACA eStore has been updated! Now you can order a range of items online from the eStore.

Whether it's either of the two new ACA books, recent educational DVD's produced under U.S. Coast Guard grants, or apparel for the lake, coast or river, visit www.americancanoe.org and browse the new ACA Store.

There are even titles from industry leaders: Kent Ford, Ben Lawry, Janet Zeller, Charlie Walbridge and Cliff Jacobson!

ACA Office Move

Update your address books, the ACA National Office has moved to historic downtown Fredericksburg!

We are now located less than a block from the Rappahannock River adjacent to a new downtown park and boat dock.

Mailing & Physical Address:

108 Hanover St.

Fredericksburg, VA 22401

540-907-4460

888-229-3792 (fax)

If you're in the area, please drop by and visit us, you can check out our paddling resource library and our retail shop!

East Coast Canoe & Kayak Festival

It's this weekend!

Charleston, SC

Join ACA Director of Safety Education & Instruction Jeremy Oyen and ACA Board President Robin Pope at the 20th annual East Coast Canoe & Kayak Festival.

For more information about ACA events across the country, visit our Event Calendar.

National Environmental Education Week

The ACA supports the National Environmental Education Week

April 11-17, 2010

The theme of this year's National Environmental Education Week (http://www.eeweek.org/) is Be Water and Energy Wise!

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, is important for all paddlers.

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

ACA & ARC

The ACA teams up with the American Red Cross:

Washington, DC [March 2010] – The American Red Cross and collaborating organizations – such as the American Canoe Association, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts – are now recruiting instructors nationwide for the new American Red Cross Wilderness and Remote First Aid course, which is designed for scouts, paddlers, hikers, other outdoor enthusiasts and people who work in remote wilderness environments.

Collaborating agencies seek instructors who will help meet training needs within their own organizations as well as that of others. With the course just released, the immediate goal is to develop widespread instructor capacity, which then can meet demand for the basic level training.

The new Wilderness and Remote First Aid course fills a real need across the country. Immediate care can help save lives and prevent serious injuries; and this course is an excellent means to help protect people who spend time outdoors for work or play.

Instructor candidates for this new program include scout leaders, canoeing and kayaking instructors, guides, camp directors, camp counselors, outdoor leaders, park rangers, teachers and adult youth leaders. Experience in the outdoors is recommended. Instructor candidates must be at least 17 years of age and have a valid basic-level certificate in Wilderness and Remote First Aid from the American Red Cross or equivalent training from another agency.

Any current American Red Cross instructor or instructor trainer in Emergency Response, Lifeguarding or Lay Responder First Aid/CPR/AED can easily bridge over to a Wilderness and Remote First Aid authorization through obtaining copies of the texts and participating in a few hours of online training. Red Cross instructors can find all the information they need and access to the online bridging course through the American Red Cross Instructor’s Corner (https://www.instructorscorner.org/RedCross).

A special class for new instructors is being conducted April 16-18, 2010 at Ft. Fisher North Carolina – For more information and registration, go to this website: http://preparednessandresponseconference.com Check it weekly for updates and news about this and other training.

The new 16-hour Wilderness and Remote First Aid course gives people the skills needed to respond to an emergency when help may be delayed. The course includes training on:
· Head (Brain), Neck and Spinal Injuries
· Heat-Related Emergencies
· Hypothermia
· Altitude-Related Illnesses
· Allergies and Anaphylaxis
· Burns
· Bone and Joint Injuries
· Wounds and Wound Infection

The course also offers enhanced content and topics to meet OSHA’s Best Practices for Workplace First Aid Training Programs—particularly important for occupational environments that are impacted by federal regulations.

The course is based on the Boy Scouts of America Wilderness First Aid Curriculum and Doctrine Guidelines, which were developed by a joint task force involving Boy Scouts, Red Cross, and a number of subject matter experts from a number of backgrounds, including Wilderness Medical Society. Many of these same experts worked on developing the new Red Cross program. Further, it has been reviewed and/or supported by the American Camp Association, American Canoe Association, National Recreation and Park Association, and JCC Association.

To find out how you can become an instructor or participate in Wilderness and Remote First Aid training, contact your local Red Cross Chapter, go to www.redcross.org

To find out more about what the ACA is doing on your behalf, visit: www.americancanoe.org

ACA Office Move

Update your address books, the ACA National Office is moving to historic downtown Fredericksburg!

We'll be located less than a blcok from the Rappahannock River adjacent to a new downtown park and boat dock.

Mailing & Physical Address:

108 Hanover St.

Fredericksburg, VA 22401

540-907-4460

888-229-3792 (fax)

Please note: the ACA Office will be closed from Sunday April 4 through Thursday April 8 as we make this transition. Phones and email for all staff will be disconnected during this time frame.

Virginia Collegiate Canoe & Kayak Races

The ACA, along with the Virginia Outdoor Center are proud to host the 2nd annual Virginia Canoe & Kayak Collegiate Championships.

• Date: April 10-11, 2010
• Location: Fredericksburg, VA
• Venue: Rappahannock River
• Register: NOW!

Race Registration Information

Alex Zelin

ACA National Event Planning Intern