Sept. 14, 2019 Team River Runner Clinic Participants and Volunteers at the Salmon River takeout after their 80-Mile kayaking adventure.

Endurance Capital Comittee Member Phil Sayre gives us a recap of his amazing Salmon River (ID) 80-mile kayaking experience with 12 wounded veteran members of Team River Runner (TRR). Phil is also on the National Board of TRR.

Team River Runner (TRR) sponsored a National Wilderness Clinic on the Main Fork of the Salmon River, in Idaho in early September, 2019. TRR is a national nonprofit organization that focuses on providing all Veterans, active Service Members, and their families an opportunity to find health, healing, community purpose, and new challenges through paddle sports. Be sure to visit their website to learn more about the inspirational work this organization does.

The National Clinic on the Salmon involved 6 nights and 6 days of whitewater boating (rafting and kayaking) and camping in the Frank Church Wilderness Area. During this 80-mile trip, TRR was privileged to have 12 Veterans on the Water. Among those veteran paddlers, there were numerous paddlers with service-related injuries (blindness, limb loss, post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injury). Two of the blind paddlers were in individual kayaks, guided by volunteer kayakers; one was in an inflatable kayak. Also, the trip had one participant with spinal injuries paddling an inflatable kayak.

The trip was supported by some of the veterans who are experienced whitewater boaters, and approximately ten other volunteer support boaters (including those that carried camping, medical and food supplies in seven rafts). Due to this being almost 100% supported by volunteers, the cost of the trip was minimal. Gear was also donated, including from Aire Rafts and local supporters of TRR in Boise and McCall, Idaho.

The clinic goals were to train the Veterans in on-the-water safety procedures, have them become proficient at white water paddling in a wilderness situation, train blind kayakers to paddle whitewater, train TRR volunteers to guide blind kayakers, and to assist in conducting a self-support wilderness trip. Phil Sayre participated in the Clinic by assisting several veterans who kayaked the Salmon River.

If you know of someone who is interested in experiencing paddle sports, please contact the Local Team River Runner American River Chapter (contact information is on the TRR website, under the Active Chapters tab (https://www.teamriverrunner.org/get-involved/chapters/ ). The American River Chapter serves the general area around the South Fork of the American, including Auburn, Grass Valley, Sacramento, Cool, and Placerville). There are also active TRR Chapters in Palo Alto and Reno.