Your Ticket to Alaska

ACA Instructor Tom Pogson is looking for volunteers for the Tugidak Island Community Marine Debris Clean-Up this summer. Here are the dates when more help is needed:

• 8-14 July: 1 hardy volunteer may be needed to help re-establish camp. 
• 18-27 July: 3 volunteers needed to help with marine debris clean-up activities. 
• 3-10 August: 3 volunteers needed to help with marine debris clean-up activities.
• 10-17 August: 1 hardy volunteer needed to help stockpile marine debris and help break camp and wrap up the project. 

Flights from Kodiak, tents, food, and great company are all provided. Just bring your enthusiasm, rain gear, camping stuff, and favorite mug!

This is the volunteer opportunity of a lifetime, and a chance to see part of coastal Alaska few ever get to see! 

More information about the 2014 Tugidak Island Community Marine Debris Clean-Up can be found here.

ACA Pro School Spotlight

University of Minnesota Duluth - Recreational Sports Outdoor Program is dedicated to promoting healthy, active lifestyles and connections to the natural world through personal and professional experiences. 

ACA Pro Schools are some of the best organizations across the country to find top quality ACA certified instruction. Current ACA members also receive discounts on certain Pro School instructional programs. 

To see a full list of ACA Pro Schools, click here. 

New Kayak Fishing Excursion for 2014

Have you participated in one of the ACA Members Only Backcountry Paddling Excursions yet? Join us for the NEW Kayak Fishing Excursion scheduled for this summer!

This trip will take you to Sugar Island, Ontario and the famous West Brand of the Ausable River in upstate New York. During the 8-day excursion, you'll enjoy fly fishing, kayaking, snorkeling, paddleboarding, and even canoe sailing (if you're so inclined).

Please visit our website for a sample itinerary and to request additional information about the 2014 Members Only Kayak Fishing Excursion. 

Wear Your Lifejacket to Work Day is Friday, May 16!

Participate in the National Safe Boating Council's Wear Your Lifejacket to Work Day and help kick off National Safe Boating Week (May 17-23)! 

The ACA Staff looking sharp on Wear Your Lifejacket to Work Day 2012.

Snap a photo of you and your coworkers wearing your lifejackets at work on May 16 and post it to the "Ready, Set, Wear It!" facebook wall or email the photo to outreach@safeboatingcouncil.org. 

While you're at it, email your photos to clloyd@americancanoe.org and we'll post them on the ACA's various social media outlets, as well. Let's spread the word about the LIFE-SAVING power of lifejackets!

River City Challenge & Eco Fest

Come out and enjoy Jacksonville's annual environmental music festival and paddlesports race on May 17, 2014! 

This is a family-friendly event, featuring:

• National recording artists
• Interactive KidZone
• Vendor market
• Newly added Eco-Village
• Awesome local food from a variety of Jacksonville food trucks 
• Tasty libations from Sweetwater Brewing Co.

Find more information here. See you in Jacksonville!

ACA Pro School Spotlight

A premiere educational resource for kayakers and canoeists, Cutter Aquatics has been delivering water safety education programs in Texas since 1996. The pro school teaches high-level technical paddling skills in an encouraging atmosphere and helps ACA Instructor and Instructor Trainer candidates discover and enrich their program organizational skills and personal coaching strengths. 

Cutter Aquatics has a legacy of quality, safety, and fun in paddling instruction and also leads guided trips around the world. 

ACA Pro Schools are some of the best organizations in the world to find top quality ACA certified instruction. Current ACA members also receive discounts on certain Pro School instructional programs. 

To see a full list of ACA Pro Schools, click here. 

Congratulations to May Kokatat Instructor of the Month, Ryan Keyes!

Between raft guiding, kayaking, and working as a Recreational Therapist at the Grand Junction VA Medical Hospital in Fruita, Colorado, ACA Instructor of the Month Ryan Keyes is always on the go. Check out our exclusive interview with him and see how he uses paddlesports to help others. 

Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized as the next Instructor of the Month? Submit a nomination here!