Friday, August 01, 2008
Register for the Wabash Heritage Paddle Fest and win a free kayak
 A registered participant in the fourth annual Wabash Heritage Paddle Fest could be paddling down the Wabash River in his or her own kayak at next year’s Paddle Fest. Registered paddlers will be entered to win a free kayak from Gander Mountain at the August 16 event.The 9.7 mile canoe float from Grayville, Illinois, to New Harmony, Indiana will be accompanied by food, music, giveaways, and activities throughout the day. Registration and check in begins at 7:30 a.m. in New Harmony. The canoe float will start at 10 a.m. in Grayville, Illinois. All activities will end by 3 p.m. "Celebrity" teams in Illinois and Indiana “war canoes” captained by Grayville mayor Henry Kijonka and Ralph Weinzapfel of the Posey County Council will race to the finish line. Kijonka said Paddle Fest “will be an opportunity for all the communities on the Wabash to share this great experience that illustrates tremendous natural resources that Indiana and Illinois share.” In addition to the canoe float, special events will take place throughout the day in both communities. In Grayville, a pancake breakfast sponsored by the Grayville Lions Club will begin at 8 a.m. and “quick start” canoe classes will be offered at 9 a.m. In New Harmony, food provided by the Red Geranium Restaurant will be available at 11 a.m., music will begin at noon under the tent at the riverfront, and there will be children’s games and historical demonstrations. Near the New Harmony riverfront sponsors such as Gander Mountain and Top Spot Outdoors will display boats, canoes, kayaks, and mountain bikes, and will offer coupons and giveaways. Radio station HOT 96 will broadcast live from the site and give away free tee-shirts. The Wabash River Heritage Corridor Commission and the new Web site company www.WabashRiver.us will distribute promotional items. Registration is $25 for adults and $15 for ages 15 and under. Those who register before 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 14, will receive a free Wabash Heritage Paddle Fest tee-shirt. Anyone who wishes to register on the day of the event can do so at the Atheneum/Visitors Center located at 401 N. Arthur Street in New Harmony. Canoe rental is $30, or participants may use their own canoes or kayaks. Transportation between New Harmony and Grayville is free for all registered participants. An online registration form, more day-of-event logistics, information on sponsors, canoe rental, and lodging partners can be found at www.usi.edu/paddlefest. Historic New Harmony is a unified program of the University of Southern Indiana and the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites. Wabash Heritage Paddlefest is sponsored by the Robert Lee Blaffer Foundation, Shetler Moving & Storage, Inc., and Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana. Additional sponsors are Historic New Harmony, the University of Southern Indiana, Grayville, Gray Cemetery Trust, the Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau, and WFIE Channel 14. Samantha Brown Manager, Development & Public Relations Historic New Harmony sabrown1@usi.edu 812/682-4488 |
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