Money for Your Club!

Once again the ACA has partnered with L.L. Bean to provide funding for your paddling club.

Through the Club-Fostered Stewardship (CFS) Grant program, the ACA provides funding to local and regional paddling clubs that undertake stewardship projects on waterways in their area. The purpose of the program is to encourage paddling clubs to take an active role in protecting and improving the nation's rivers, lakes and coastlines.

Highlighted Recipient: The Greater Baltimore Canoe Club

The GBCC is using their grant funding to assist with the Annual Patuxent River Cleanup, with a focus on removing several abandoned vehicles from the Patuxent River floodplain. This is a prime example of how paddler's give back to the resource that provides us with so much.

Additional funding for 2010 is still available, apply today, it's only 2 pages!

CFS - Grant Application

ACA Haiti Fundraiser

On March 6th, a group of ACA certified kayak instructors will be conducting instructional classes to benefit the American Red Cross efforts in Haiti. We invite anyone to participate in exchange for a donation of which 100% will be donated to the American Red Cross*. This event is being held at the Blue Moon Outdoor Center in the Oleta River State Park near Miami, FL.

We will begin lessons at 8 a.m. and continue throughout the day until sunset. Lessons will be given in approximately 2 hour blocks for the entire day. Gear is being provided by Blue Moon Outdoor Center. We do require reservations so please call Chris @ 305.407.7022 to reserve a space and gather additional information. This is a great opportunity to learn a great deal about paddling and give something back in the process. We can't wait to see you there!

*The American Red Cross name is used with its permission, which in no way constitutes an endorsement, express or implied, of any product, service, company, individual or political position. For more information about the American Red Cross, please call 1-800-HELP NOW or email info@usa.redcross.org.

Read more about the ACA's Community Responsibility initiative.

Chris Smith

ACA, International Relations Intern

Paddling Club Grants

Since 2002, the ACA has partnered with L.L. Bean to sponsor the Club Fostered Stewardship (CFS) Grant Program. The CFS Program provides funding to local and regional paddling clubs that undertake stewardship projects on waterways in their area. The purpose of the program is to encourage paddling clubs to take an active role in protecting and improving the nation's rivers, lakes and coastlines.

Many of the stewardship needs of our nation's waters are best addressed at the local and regional level. Paddling clubs are in an ideal position to lead these efforts. Club members are often willing to volunteer their time and assist with local stewardship projects. However, clubs often lack the funds needed to pay project expenses. As a result, they miss an opportunity to leverage dozens and sometimes hundreds of volunteer hours that could improve conditions on their favorite lakes and streams.

That's why L.L. Bean and the ACA have teamed up to sponsor the CFS Program. CFS grants are available for projects that utilize volunteers in efforts to protect, maintain or restore recreational waterways, to provide for or improve public access, or to enhance safe navigation. Eligible projects include: cleaning up waterways, clearing in-stream safety hazards, maintaining access areas, erecting signs and controlling erosion, establishing and maintaining paddle trails, acquiring threatened access points, and providing sanitary facilities.

Grant amounts range from $100-$1,000.

CFS Club Grant Application

ACA & NOC

Did you know?

As an ACA member you receive a discount from the Nantahala Outdoor Center located in western North Carolina.

For purchases at NOC's renowned Outfitter Store, present your ACA Membership Card at checkout and you'll receive a 10% discount!

More ACA Member Benefits

Festival Time!

East Coast Canoe & Kayak Festival

The ACA and Subaru are proud to sponsor the 20th Anniversary of "East Coast".

Join ACA Board Members Robin Pope and Josh Hall along with SEI Director Jeremy Oyen in Charleston, SC.

From on water instruction from top paddlesports professionals to Marcus Demuth's keynote presentation on: Paddling for a cause - Circumnavigating Tierra del Fuego for Disabled Paddlers this festival is not to be missed!

• Dates: April 16-18
• Location: James Island County Park - Charleston, SC
• More information: www.ccprc.com/ecckf

For a list of other events across the country, visit the ACA Event Calendar.

Subaru VIP Program

Another tangible benefit of your ACA membership:

The American Canoe Association is proud to count Subaru of America among its corporate sponsors. Subaru is the official vehicle of the ACA.

As part of Subaru's support for the association, ACA members are eligible to participate in the Subaru VIP Partners Program. VIP Partners participants can save up to $3,300* off the manufacturer's suggested retail price (depending on model and equipment selected) on the purchase or lease of any new Subaru from participating dealers.

This discount is available to all eligible ACA members. No haggling is required.

Now that's a member benefit!

In addition to providing these discounts, Subaru is partnering with your ACA to support the ACA's stewardship and conservation programs. When an ACA member purchases a vehicle through the VIP Partners Program, Subaru makes a contribution to support ACA stewardship work, providing the organization with much-needed resources for protecting our nation's waterways.

Learn more...

New Benefits of Membership

Did you know?

The ACA has recently partnered with RESTOP, the leader in personal sanitation for outdoor enthusiasts. ACA members receive a 15% discount on their products. Consider using them on one of the upcoming ACA Member's Only Backcountry Paddling Excursions.

Don't forget:

Long time ACA partner, O.S. Systems (aka "The Drysuit People") offer ACA members a 20% discount.

Contact the ACA Office for either the RESTOP or O.S. Systems discount codes.

For a comprehensive list of other ACA membership benefits, click here.

Call for Presenters

The ACA is now seeking high-quality individuals and exceptional organizations to present conference educational sessions and workshops, Instructor Updates, as well as pre- and post- conference skills and certification courses.

This is the premier event for all paddlesports enthusiasts, ACA members, Club Members, Instructors, and Instructor Trainers from all disciplines to share the latest in paddlesport education, instruction, and emerging national trends.

Call for Presenter Packet

Deadline for all submissions: April 2

ACA Public Policy

Outdoor Alliance Reflects on Successful 2009

Washington D.C., January 18th, 2010 — Outdoor Alliance (OA), a coalition of six member-based national outdoor advocacy groups dedicated to the conservation and stewardship of our public lands and waters, is pleased to report significant and measurable progress in 2009. Fighting for the outdoor community across policies including Roadless Area Conservation, Climate Protection and Hardrock Mining Reform, Outdoor Alliance continued to champion the role of public lands while developing new partnerships that will help them meet the challenges 2010 will bring.

“Through the hard work and collaborative efforts of the American Canoe Association, American Whitewater, Winter Wildlands Alliance, Access Fund, American Hiking Society and the International Mountain Bicycling Association, Outdoor Alliance gained traction on all of our major initiatives in 2009”, said Mark Singleton, Executive Director for American Whitewater and Outdoor Alliance Chairman. ”We look forward to further gains that will actively and positively impact outdoor recreation in 2010.”

Roadless Area Conservation was the most active of the Outdoor Alliance policy platforms over the past year. OA’s roadless efforts focused on three areas, the Colorado Roadless Rule, national roadless conservation legislation and efforts with the new administration on the regulatory front.

Outdoor Alliance’s advocacy efforts on climate protection led to an invitation for OA to testify before a U.S. Congressional hearing regarding the role of public lands in combating climate change.

To help the outdoor recreation community better understand what’s at stake with climate change, OA produced two short films; the first, entitled Protect Our Climate was released in October and another will be released as Congress takes up the debate in the new year.

Meanwhile, additional Outdoor Alliance efforts before Congress helped the Senate introduce Hardrock mining reform legislation that built upon a House bill introduced earlier in 2009.

Partners, including long-time allies at the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Outdoor Industry Association, National Parks Conservation Association and Defenders of Wildlife continued to play an important role in the Outdoor Alliance’s work over the past year.

In 2009 OA began a more systematic collaboration with both the Conservation Fund and the Trust for Public Land. These partnerships allowed OA to connect with constituents on locally driven conservation efforts as well as amplify the OA voice to advocacy efforts inside the beltway.

Other highlights from 2009 include OA’s participation at the Ninth World Wilderness Congress, an international forum with the goal of exploring the strategic importance of wild lands in the global response to climate change, the development of a global memorandum of understanding between OA and the major U.S. federal land management agencies and coordinated efforts between member organization and the Waterkeeper Alliance to further the Clean Water Restoration Act.

www.americancanoe.org/outdooralliance