Thursday March 28th, 2024 6:07AM

Georgia River Network hosts Paddle-A-Thon

By Lawson Smith Anchor/Reporter

Georgia River Network is encouraging Georgians to visit the state's rivers by offering more than $8000 in prizes and over 220 miles of canoe, kayak and paddle board adventures as a part of the organization’s Paddle-A-Thon competition in 2023. 

The competition allows participants to compete against each other in over a dozen categories, including most miles paddled, most trash removed and most kayak fishing trips. 

Some of the prizes up for grabs include a $500 gift certificate from Public Lands in Kennesaw for most trash removed; a $250 gift certificate from Nestle-Purina for the category most miles paddled with your pet; and a $500 gift certificate from Cedar Creek Outdoor center in Hiram for the contestant who has the most miles paddled. The organization also said in a press release that the ten contestants who raise the most money for river protection will be eligible for a host of prizes, including a grand prize of a $1000 gift certificate from Cedar Creek Outdoor Center. 

“People who venture out on our state’s rivers inevitably want to see those rivers protected; that’s why we want people out exploring our rivers,” Rena Peck, GRN executive director, said, “Our annual Paddle-A-Thon is one of our most important fundraisers and this year, in celebration of the organization’s 25th anniversary, we are expanding the Paddle-A-Thon competition to include non-fundraising categories and get more people involved in our river movement.” 

The Paddle-A-Thon is on from now until September 6. Winners of the competition will be announced at the organization's 25th-anniversary celebration in the fall. 

The organization said that its goal is to raise $50,000 for river protection and water trail development through the competition. 

GRN asks contestants to log their paddle trips on the organization’s Paddle-A-Thon website where regular updates will be posted to track the top paddlers.

In addition to individual competitions, contestants can organize teams to compete for prizes including a paddle trip and dinner party for up to 25 people courtesy of the Georgia River Network. Participants can register to compete and view a full list of prize categories and prizes at https://www.mightycause.com/event/Paddleathon. Potential paddle routes can be found on the organization’s Georgia River Guide App, a comprehensive guide to more than 30 designated water trails across the state. The app is available for free in Google and Apple app stores.

“We know there are paddlers out there that logged nearly 1,000 miles on Georgia’s rivers in 2022,”  Peck said. “Paddle-A-Thon gives everyone a chance to use the miles they paddle to protect the rivers they love.”

Paddle-A-Thon registration fees are $35 and include a year’s membership in GRN, a Paddle-A-Thon bandana and a $20 discount to participate in one of Georgia River Network’s river adventure trips or kayaking skills/water safety classes during 2023. More information on the organization's events planned for 2023 can be found here

 

  • Associated Categories: Homepage, Local/State News
  • Associated Tags: Georgia River Network , GRN, Paddle-A-Thon, Georgia Rivers
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