Welcome back Palm / MTI

More good news. I talked with Lili Colby of Palm yesterday (Nov. 28th). She said that Palm / MTI will be on board as sponsors of the Pueblo Paddle-A-Thon to benefit First Descents again this coming year!

If you remember, Palm / MTI played a big part in the success of last year's event with their very generous donations of a drysuit, pfd's, rodo pants, etc... We are thrilled to have them back! Thanks Lili!

It's game on!

It may be 8 months until the 2008 version of the Pueblo Paddle-A-Thon (July 12, 2008), but things are already happening!

We officially announce the addition of Dagger Kayaks to the list of amazing companies who have been so generous in their support of our efforts. Ken "Hobie" Hoeve, of Dagger has donated a Dagger Agent 6.4 (see below) to the cause.The boat will be one of the items the top 3 fundraising paddlers will have to choose from. I am sure it will be one of the items at the top of everyone's list.

We would also like to welcome The Reverend Roger Patrick Dorcy Cancer Center at St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center here in Pueblo to the party. We are thrilled to have them on board and appreciate their support in both fundraising and finding local young adults to send to First Descents!

Letters and pre-event packages will be going out shortly after the first of the year. Pledge forms will also be available shortly after the holidays. So keep an eye on this blog or subscribe to it to stay on top of developments.

We are hoping to make the 2008 paddle-a-thon even better than last year's inaugural event. With your help we can do it.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

I wanted to say "Thank you" to everyone who played a part in making the first Pueblo Paddle-A-Thon a terrific success! Thank you to our corporate sponsors, Palm/MTI, AT Paddles, Seven-2 Paddles, Voz Sports, WRSI Helmets, Snap Dragon spray skirts, Shred Ready Helmets, Keen Footwear, The Edge Ski, Paddle, & Pack, The Summit Company, Juls Bayci, Bill McCanless, Smitty's Green Light Tavern and Imprinted Sportswear.

I also wanted to thank the paddlers who raised the money and came out to paddle the Pueblo Whitewater Park on Saturday. YOU GUYS ROCK!!!

(...and thank you SO much to everyone who donated their hard-earned cash to this event.)

We raised approximately $4,100 to benefit First Descents. This is a fantastic start to an event that will grow each year and make a difference in the lives of many young adults with cancer.

A huge thanks goes to the members of the Pueblo Paddlers who showed up and made a real statement. This club is moving to the next level. They worked hard raised the money, did the paddling and showed that as a club they are about more than just planning their next paddle trip. WAY TO STEP UP GUYS!


A special thank you goes out to Jeb Stogdell, his sister Kim and The Summit Company for donating the incredible shuttle of a newly refurbished (complete with the John Deere paint scheme) hay wagon and pick up truck. You guys really saved us!



All in all we had a great day and when it was all said and done, we made and difference and that just plain feels good!

Well, it IS a paddle-a-thon after all.

We are in the home stretch. The Pueblo Paddle-A-Thon to benefit First Descents is this coming Saturday (10am-3pm) and I have some news.

In the last two weeks I have received some more donated items from paddle industry leaders, AT Paddles, Seven-2 Paddles, and Keen Footwear. AT and Seven-2 each sent a 'brand-spankin'-new' whitewater paddle and Keen sent certificates for two free pair of their shoes (which will be given separately).

This was a great boost to our list of items that we will be awarding to fundraisers.

The top three fundraisers will get their choice of items. Paddlers will be given a ticket for every $50 they raised and we will draw for the remaining items until everything is gone. The give-a-way and drawing will be held at the registration tent (near the number one drop in the Pueblo Whitewater Park) starting at noon on Saturday. So get their before that to register, fill out your wavier, get your free t-shirt, turn in your money and collect your tickets.

I want to thank The Edge Ski, Paddle & Pack, The Summit Company, and Smitty's Greenlight Tavern for sponsoring the t-shirts that each participant will be given when they turn in their pledges (remember there is a $50 minimum to take part)

ALSO PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR ACA CARD OR NUMBER. IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER YOU WILL NEED TO PAY $10 TO JOIN FOR ONE DAY SO THAT YOU ARE COVERED BY THE ACA INSURANCE. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE AND THE $10 DOES NOT COME FROM YOUR PLEDGES.

The Summit Company has donated the use of a hay wagon and truck to shuttle boaters and their boats back to the top of the course after finishing a lap. You may still walk back up to the top if you choose, but you can now be shuttled in style thanks to The Summit Company and Jeb Stogdell. Thanks guys!

Parking for the paddle-a-thon will be available in the parking lot above the number one drop on Pearl Street. You may park along Corona Street at the bottom of the course as well, but the lot at the top of the park will be closer to the event.

For directions to the Pueblo Whitewater Park go to http://paddlepueblo.blogspot.com and click on the March link in the archives along the right side of the page. From there click on the "How to get to the park" entry.

I look forward to seeing everyone at the Pueblo Whitewater Park Saturday for a lot of fun for a GREAT cause!

VOZ SPORTS COMES THROUGH BIG TIME!

A box arrived today with two Voz Sports whitewater helmets (one medium and one large)just like the one worn here by model, Matt Solomon. I also received one of their "Wetpack" backpacks which are great for carrying your wet boater gear.

We will be giving all of this stuff away along with the other cool schwag that has been showing up around here.

An Adventure Technology AT3 River carbon fiber ergonomic paddle showed up the other day too. There is going to be some very awesome stuff dolled out during the Paddle-A-Thon.

So raise some cash, pack up the boat and get your booty down the Pueblo Whitewater Park July 7th to help us raise some loot for First Descents a kayak camp for young adults with cancer.

Check out the poster!

This is the design for the Pueblo Paddle-A-Thon. It is on the poster as well as soon to be printed on t-shirts given to each participant.

Paddle Schwag You can WIN!

Several companies who supply gear to paddlers have stepped up. I wanted to show some of what will be given away at the Pueblo Paddle-A-Thon to benefit First Descents a kayak camp for young adults.

The top fundraiser will have first choice of all the items which include pfds, helmets and yes even a drysuit! The second and third best fundraisers will also get to chose from the boating booty. After that each boater will get a ticket for each $50 raised and the remaining items will be given away during a drawing.

So get your pledge forms and start getting pledges so you can get a share of the Pueblo Paddle-A-Thon schwag!!!

Stay tuned for more info!

Update! & Pledge forms!

Things are starting to get going around here. Sponsors are starting to come through with both items that will be awarded to the top fundraisers (we already have some awesome helmets and paddles) and funding to pay for the t-shirts that every participant will take home with them.

Now I want to post the pledge sheets that you can copy to your machine and print out. Just drag them to your desktop and they should copy. They are jpeg formatted and should be full sized at 300dpi (you can drop the resolution if you like)

There is also a second sheet that you can print out which gives event information so that you can keep it with you and not have to keep looking things up.

If you are having trouble getting either one of these to download please give me a call and I will see that we get them to you one way or another.

BOATER BETA

What: The Pueblo Paddle-A-Thon

Where: The Pueblo Whitewater Park, Pueblo, Colorado

When: Saturday July 7, 2007 10am-3pm (rain or shine)

Why: To benefit First Descents, a kayak camp for young adults with cancer.

How: Contact Bryan Kelsen (719.406.1331 or bryankelsen@msn.com) to register and get pledge forms.


Boaters who take part in the Pueblo Paddle-A-Thon will be asked to choose to paddle one of three predetirmined distances. The distances are 5, 10 or 15 laps of the half-mile Pueblo Whitewater Park . This way when participants solicit pledges they will be able to collect payment before the event eliminating the need to return to donors to collect on the pledge. So pick your distance and solicit pledges according to that distance.

The portion of the lap that is the paddling downstream takes between 7 & 10 minutes to complete. If boaters choose to walk back up to the top of the park the walk takes approximately 15 minutes. A free shuttle may be available on the day of the event depending on the weather (if it rains the trail gets too muddy for vehicles.)

The Pueblo Paddle-A-Thon will be an ACA event. Paddlers who are not ACA members will need to pay the $10 insurance waiver and fee to be a member for the day of the event. Those who are members should remember to bring their membership cards.

Those contributing to the event for a boater may write a check to First Descents for their pledges or they may go to http://www.firstdescents.org and click on the “donate” button to make a secure online credit card donation. Donations are tax deductable as First Descents has a 501 C.3 non profit status.

THINGS ARE MOVIN' RIGHT ALONG

Just a quick update. The Pueblo Paddle-A-Thon t-shirts are being designed, the pledge forms are nearly ready and the buzz is that people are starting to get excited about July 7th!

How could you go wrong with an event that benefits such a worthy organization (Frist Descents) being held on 7/7/07? We can't! We will have a fantastic time and help out a group of people who are often overlooked by the medical/philanthropic community.

It won't be long now and we'll really get this thing rollin'!

Stay tuned!!!

PADDLE-A-THON JULY 7TH

The Pueblo Whitewater Park will be hosting a Paddle-A-Thon July 7, 2007 to benefit First Descents. First Descents is a kayak camp for young adults with cancer.

The young adult cancer population is the most underserved population within the cancer world and the programs that First Descents provides free of charge play a key role in a cancer survivior's emotional, psychological and physical healing. It costs First Descents approximately $1,000 per camper for a one week session and the funds you raise will go directly toward providing these much-needed program to a very deserving group of people.

This event will combine the enjoyment of being on the water in one of Colorado's finest whitewater playpark venues with the satisfaction of being able to make a difference in the life of a young adult with cancer.

The Pueblo Whitewater Park is a half mile on the Arkansas River in downtown Pueblo consisting of 8 drops. Seven of the drops provide play holes with the final drop being a mini-rapid and wave-train. The event will consist of participants paddling laps through the park to raise monies pledged for each lap.

Watch this page for upcoming details on fundraising and sponsorships.