Fun on the Spring River - another Rec School Come and Gone

[Liz Caldwell]

Rec School is over for another year, and I wanted to thank all those who made it possible. We had 32 students, some new to paddling, some not so new, but everyone learned a lot and made new paddling friends. Mammoth Spring State Park's Adam Davis and Dave Jackson welcomed us to their lake, where a couple of classes held instruction on Saturday. Thank you Adam and Dave!

We had a medivac helicopter pay a visit to Riverside campground when a young man NOT in our school let go of a rope swing and landed on a stump just as several classes rounded the bend to get out at Riverside on Saturday. Jim Krueger pulled him and a would-be rescuer buddy out of the water with his kayak. Ann Davis, who was in Jim's class, called 911. He ended up with a bruised spine, broken leg and concussion.

As always, the volunteers (on their own time and gas money) make the school. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! A special shout out to our amazing "assistant To the director" Michael Strobel who helped with a lot of the preparation.

Canoe Instructors and Staff:
Al Donaldson (who drove 600 miles from Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
Painter Bob
Patti Van Camp
Marc Van Camp
Margaret "Stan" Barteldt
Dave Hochstedler

Kayak Instructors and Staff:
David Loving
Michael Strobel
Grant Strobel
Larry Crane
Mike Byrum
Heather Huckeba
Louis Covington
Pat Crane
Mike Stanley
Victor Lawrence
Clif Andrus
Jim Krueger
Marlo Krueger
Gary Rowland

Shuttle, registration, potluck, etc:
Beth Forbes
Minna Ulmer
Karla Rowland
Dave McClanahan
Kristin Parsons
Josh Felton

[Crane]

It's always a pleasure to watch as lights come on in those Eureka! moments for beginning paddlers. Every student in our class made remarkable progress over the weekend... particularly since my fellow instructor, Mike Byrum, had to carry most of the teaching burden:) Thank you for letting us participate! And, thank you for all the work you and your trusty side-kick put in herding us cats all weekend:) Next year, I'd vote to double your pay!! Crane