A fun day and a better future for our beloved river
Story by Carol Pappas
Photos by Bob Crisp
As each stroke of the paddle in the first ever Coosa River Ramble brought racers closer to the finish line, it pushed the Coosa River closer to a better future.
It was more than a race. It was a celebration of the Coosa River and the people working to keep it clean, healthy and thriving.
“It benefits our mission to protect the Coosa River and the communities that rely on it,” said Director of Community Engagement Abby Brown.
Logan Martin Lake and Lakeside Park became the destination point for about 60 racers from around the state and out-of-state for this new event to raise funds for Coosa Riverkeeper and its environmental efforts.
Kayakers and paddleboarders took to the waters just beyond the park’s beach, and it drew a cheering crowd of onlookers, fans and family. There were vendors and food trucks and prizes to give away. “It was a great time,” Brown said. “Tons of families came with the racers.”
Of course, it was June in Alabama, so “it was very, very hot, but a beautiful day,” she noted. In addition to cheering sections from the shoreline, residents cheered from docks up and down the race route.
The 24K course took paddlers to Coosa Island Marina and Towboat US and back, quite a trek racers were able to complete in about two hours. Winners captured titles in the 24K, 10K and 5K categories. The 5K and 10K versions were off the main channel near Lakeside Park. A 3K and 5K “fun float” used the same course without the pressure of competition.
The response to this inaugural event was “fantastic,” Brown said, noting that first responder volunteers and volunteers from Honda strengthened the community’s impressive show of support.
Butts to Go donated and served barbecue and trimmings for the racers and volunteers. Gift card prizes came from Dock’s and Daily Bagel. Sponsors and donors not only made the event possible, they helped make it a success story – financially and environmentally.
“We are so thankful for the community engagement,” Brown said. “We hope to continue to engage the paddler community again very soon.”
As part of its priorities, Coosa Riverkeeper patrols five lakes and dozens of creeks to identify and document pollution – and beauty – and keep abreast of what is going on in the river system.
It educates the public about the value of the Coosa River to its community, economy and environment.
Coosa Riverkeeper is a strong advocate for the river and the “thousands of families who rely on it for fun, food, and property value,” it maintains. “A river has a head and a mouth, but it does not have a voice to speak for itself in our classrooms, courtrooms, and town halls.”
That’s Coosa Riverkeeper’s job.
Editor’s Note: To learn more about Coosa Riverkeeper, go to: CoosaRiverkeeper.org.
