Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

Despite the lightning and rain Saturday morning, I think this year's Rec School turned out the best ever! Participants and staff all seemed tired but happy at the take out Sunday afternoon and were saying how much they enjoyed it and how well everything went.

Those sentiments were absolutely due to the tireless work and enthusiasm demonstrated by the volunteer staff. First, much appreciation to the shuttle crew led by Chris and Felecia Crawford, who worked seemlessly with Luke Coop, Gary Mooney, Doug Webber, Kinneth Wallace and any others they may have pressed into service. We've never had such a well-run shuttle!

Second, the instructors, assistants and safety boaters were patient, flexible and dedicated to making sure their classes had a good experience on and off the water.

Third, the Waco crew handled the check-in table like pros, juggling waivers, medical forms, instructor packets, dinner tickets and questions.

Fourth, the Saturday morning "speed dating" group teaching experience that Michael Strobel put together got good reviews as it allowed more interaction with participants.

And a great big thank you to Adam and Dave at Mammoth Spring State Park for letting classes use the lake on Saturday as well as to Sara Seagraves, education and outreach biologist with the Mammoth Spring National Fish Hatchery, for coming to our rescue with a meeting space at the last minute when lighting and heavy rain threatened to derail our Saturday teaching plans. You saved Rec School!

As you can tell, it takes a group effort to pull off a weekend clinic like this with 40 participants and 30 staff. Thank you to every one for making it happen.

Glad Rec School went well!

I promise, some day, I will get up there and help.

You might need to change your signature line here on the message board, "Madame Presidente!"

Dave

Thanks to Mike and Liz for organizing us all into a very good experience!! We volunteers appreciate you guys more than you can ever know. Thanks!! And, thanks for assigning Mike and Bryan and me the group of students we got to work with... they were really a great bunch of paddlers and I, persoanlly, would be very pleased to have the same bunch again next year, or to simply paddle with them down a few rivers!! A great Rec School class! Crane

Well, this volunteer, plus family had a great time and was glad to help. Even if he did embarrass himself in front of many witnesses on Fridays paddle. Hello And thanks to the ego stroking by Liz and a few others on Sun.; they convinced him to volunteer (in front of witnesses) to do it again next year. A big thanks to Victor and his crew for putting up with, uh, I mean teaching Hannah. I saw her doing some stuff I'm not sure I could. She is now all over me about taking a swift water rescue class this year and white water school next year. Has this idea in her head about being a safety boater. Seems Bryan's comment about Deuce and I not being allowed on a river together without a safety boater along put some thoughts in her pretty little head.

Also, it seems Felicia and I picked up new nicknames. She is the Shuttle Chef and I am the Shuttle Sheik. Thanks Doug.

And by the way anyone thinking about volunteering as a shuttle driver next year should bear in mind that Felicia fixes breakfast for the shuttle crew. Point to ponder - the shuttle crew somehow forgot to eat lunch Fri., Sat. and Sun.

GN YAKN wrote: You might need to change your signature line here on the message board, "Madame Presidente!"

That was because I am lazy!!!

Thanks, Ryan!

Liz & Mike,
You did it again! Another great Rec School, and in a year with the challenge of storms! If it gets any better than this year's school, I just won't be able to stand it. You gave us the best in safety boaters--Beth Forbes & Grant Strobel! You also gave us great students! They were agreeable through all the changes in plans, eating in a downpour in a dugout, doing a wet exit in the creek. They were all willing to do what we asked them to do, and all learned and improved over the weekend. What a high note to exit your directorship on, only to become Madame Presidente! If you do as well as president as you have as director, we may just have to make you Madame Presidente for Life! You will be a tough act to follow as director for whoever is brave enough to try.
Marlo

Thanks, Marlo. You and Jim are mainstays at Rec School and always get rave reviews.

Also, I'm just getting over my broken toe. I'd hate to break another one or worse when I fall off that pedestal!

AR-Nimrod wrote:She is now all over me about taking a swift water rescue class this year and white water school next year. Has this idea in her head about being a safety boater.

That's a VERY positive sign!

And yes, I heard something about how some "special" folks got treated to a "special" breakfast... It got rave reviews.

I also would like to thank the other volunteers as well as the students. I don't think I can say it any better than what others have already done, but I want to chime in at least a little.

One thing I especially enjoy is watching the step changes in skills as the weekend progresses. Once again I got a great group of students who were very eager to try almost anything I suggested. And even so, I don't think I managed to squeeze more than two or three swims out of the entire group for the whole weekend, and one of those can be attributed directly to a student who was trying out a less stable boat for the first time. Yeah, I loaned her that boat... (but she knew what she was getting in to, it was not a "trick", it was someone stepping up to try something new)

I believe that Rec School just has a great combination of reliable water levels and generally warm weather that sets it up for success year after year, and once again I was not disappointed.

Also want to thank Arthur for heading up risk management this year. He alerted the sheriff's office, gathered info on hospitals and first responders, created a handout for instructors that had that info on it, advised on weather and water levels, and briefed the instructors on their responsibilities about assessing student abilities, and more. He was the "go to" person for Michael and me on safety and many other issues. We are so lucky to have him on our team!