[IOCA] Paddling Leadership Opportunity with the America Canoe Association

[Chris Glazner]

Hello, IOCANs!
      My name is Chris Glazner, and I'm with the MIT Outing Club.   
IOCA was recently contacted by the America Canoe Association (ACA),  
who is investigating ways that they can become more involved with the  
collegiate paddling scene.  One idea that they have developed,  
included below, is the creation of a National Outing and Paddlesport  
Leadership School, a week-long program at their Sugar Island camp in  
the Thousand Island chain in the St. Lawrence River.  They've sought  
out IOCA's help and advice on structuring the program and getting the  
word out about it to find both staff and participants.  I volunteered  
to help, seeing as I paddle quite a bit and live close to their  
headquarters and meetings just outside Washington, DC.

So, a couple things:
1) Please take a look at the program description below and respond if  
you're interested.  I can also probably answer many questions, if you  
want my perspective on things.

2) Are there any issues/concerns/needs that your Outing Club has that  
the ACA might be able to help with?  If you're not familiar with  
them, the ACA is the national body that sanctions canoe an kayak  
races, certifies instructors (flatwater, sea, and whitewater), and  
also runs insurance programs for clubs.   They're looking for ways  
they can help grow paddling programs in colleges, leading to the  
growth of paddlesports nationally.

If you have any questions or comments and ideas that you'd like me to  
pass on to the ACA at their next board of director's meeting, please  
let me know.

Thanks!

Chris


> New Opportunity for College Clubs! Travel to an island in the St.   
> Lawrence River.
>
> The American Canoe Association, in partnership with The  
> Conservation  Fund and the Student Conservation Association, is  
> launching a new  program for college clubs. In August of 2008  
> colleges will be invited  to send students to the ACA National  
> Outing and Paddlesport  Leadership School. The week long program  
> takes place on the ACA owned  47 acre island in heart of the  
> Thousand Island area of the St.  Lawrence River. The island is  
> rustic with few modern amenities and  the program will cover Basic  
> Canoe and Kayak Safety certification,  'Leave no Trace"  
> instruction, conservation easement and water trail  development,  
> and basic outdoor wilderness instruction. Students will  also be  
> able to spend time exploring the St. Lawrence Islands  National  
> Park by canoe and kayak. To be put on the list to learn more  about  
> the program and possible student internships associated with  the  
> program, or how to arrange a trip for your college to the island   
> during the summer, contact the ACA National Office at 703-451-0141.
>