Canoeing
Service Projects
Dave Clark's House
Rivanna River
UVA Outdoors is initiating a partnership with Community Attention to develop a program that will provide outdoor activities to some of the most under-privileged members of our community.
Community Attention is the parent organization that includes the A-home (a group home for abused/neglected/abandoned children), the at-risk teens (arrested, on probation, or coming from environments that might lead to deviant behavior), and the foster kids (children either abandoned or removed from their parents for abusive reasons and placed with a foster family). This includes approximately 1000 children throughout Charlottesville and the surrounding area.
Last spring, we undertook the first of our pilot programs to test the viability of such a partnership. There were some challenges, and a few of the children were difficult to manage. But by the end of the day, there was nothing but smiles.
We are now planning additional events to be carried out during the fall semester, the first of which is a canoe trip on the Rivanna river, re-scheduled for Friday September 26th. This event is done in conjunction with the Outdoor Rec. Center, who will be providing the canoes, a few staff, and a shuttle service from the put in at Darden Towe park and the takeout at Riverside park.
We are looking for folks (preferably those who would be interested in developing the partnership with Community Attention) to assist participants with simple kayaking/canoe instruction and to help with the kayak shuttle.
The skinny: 4:30 pm meet at dave Clark’s house to load boats. 5:30 we meet up with the Community Attention (6-12 kids) and members of the Outdoor Rec. Center. Paddle the Rivanna ‘till 7:30 or so. Back to dave’s to unload the boats. Home ~ 8:00 pm.
we are hoping to do one event each month with the kids, be it canoeing, rock climbing, mountain biking, or caving. If you are interested in assisting with the development of this project, or would like more information about this trip, please drop me a line (cgb2m@yahoo.com).