Cancelled...

Hello, RK Families!

I apologize, but I need to cancel tomorrow's River Kids meetings…I'll have to pay you all back by scheduling 25 extra events and associated planning meetings in the coming months…okay, I'm kidding…sort of…  :)

We will have a regular meeting and Board meeting Dec 10.

I would like to invite all RK Family members to attend the December 10 meeting from 4-5pm…We have arranged to have the US Coast Guard Auxiliary work with River Kids over the next couple months to teach us all more about paddling safety.  Since there really isn't a paddling safety program for big rivers in existence, the USCGAux has agreed to develop a program with and just for River Kids based on our needs.  The December 10 meeting will introduce the kids to the USCGAux crew members and their resources.  It will also give the kids the chance to help develop the program by offering their ideas regarding what they want to learn from a paddling program.

This paddling safety training program is likely to be as unique as River Kids, and having such a program in place should allow us to continue to do the amazing river trips we've been doing with a blanket of safety techniques and standards to ensure all of our brave, adventurous crew members a safe return.

On that note, it is our intention to make participation in this new paddling safety a prerequisite for paddling with River Kids on the big rivers.  We are thinking that, while there's never a true guarantee that paddling a river will be perfectly safe, what we can control is what we know and how we approach our time on rivers.

Parents who would like to paddle with us will be asked to participate in the same paddling training, and all parents (those who intend to paddle and those who intend only to wave at us from the shore) are encouraged to attend training sessions, just so you are informed about what you're kids will be experiencing.

I have also arranged to have Mike Clark, the resident river expert and ever-amazing friend to River Kids, to come share some of his river experiences and a slideshow.  Mike will be able to give us insights that only he has…there are few people out there who know as much as he.  You are all welcome to attend that meeting as well.  I'll let you know when the date for that is set…

Sorry again, for the cancellation…I'll be seeing you all soon enough…

Rock on!

Ben

Support Missouri Stream Team License Plate

http://bit.ly/iahCbQ
Hello All!  Above is a shortened link to a page where you may take a look at the proposed MO Stream Teams license plate.  MOST is campaigning to get this specialty plate approved for purchase.  If you like the plate and the idea, there are some directions for how to support the push for approval with a simple email.  If you hate the plate or are categorically opposed to fun ideas, please leave this site …and perhaps seek help.

By the way, River Kids is an official MO Stream Team and has been for the past 4 years…it's a great organization that has some 4,000 or so teams around the state…and the list is growing.

See you all soon,

Ben

No Need for a Board Meeting

After remembering that 4th is gone today, I realized that the 4-5pm meeting will be just 5th graders, so we're going to treat it like a Board Meeting (and include non-Board 5th graders in the meeting as well.)

SO, there's no need for 5th graders to stick around for a 5-6pm meeting… we'll all be tired anyway after the performance from this morning… hopefully that will take a little load off this evening.

See you soon!

Ben

RK Update

Hello, RK Families!

Hope all is well with all the young world changers on our River Kids crew…

Regular Meeting this Friday, November 19 - 4–5pm – in the library as usual

Important Change - Board Meeting Rescheduled – there is a Board Meeting scheduled to follow this week's regular meeting.  We just had one last week, so I'm moving this one to Dec 3.  We'll still have one on Dec 10 as well since we won't meet again for a while.  Here's the meeting schedule again in case anyone still needs it or needs a refresher:

Dec – 3*, 10*
Jan – 7, 21*, 28
Feb – 11, 18*
Mar – 4*
Apr – 1, 8*, 15 (prep for Earth Day), 22, 29
May – 6, 20 (Final Meeting - RK Party - location/time TBA

*Asterisks mark dates of Board Meetings

I've been blown away by the work that's been done so far this year.  Our last few meetings have been used to push forward with the planning and development of a variety of projects and events.  Here's the scoop on what's in the pan:


 1.  RK Lock-in – this group has been working diligently to outline the details related to what they hope will be the 2nd annual River Kids Lock-in…They have begun to describe a budget and itinerary for the event.  They must still select possible dates, coordinate adult supervision, and secure permission for everything from NCS administration.
 2.  RK Annual Campout – The kids are formulating a plan for a possible 2-night campout along a local riverway in the springtime.  They are currently hoping to arrange the campout on Mosenthein Island (where they camped out last year.)  The kids are considering inviting Land for Learning crew along on the trip to connect those great folks with Mike Clark and the big rivers for the first time.
 3.  RK Annual Polar Bear Pickup – the group working on this event is working hard to figure out a few possible dates.  They are hoping to host the event at the same location as last year, with Mike Clark providing paddling opportunities for some, while most clean on land at North Riverfront Park.  The kids are hoping Orlando's catering might come through once again to provide lunch for volunteers.  The kids would like to add to the event by providing prizes for largest, strangest, and most valuable items found during the cleanup.  The kids will be seeking sponsors who might underwrite advertisements, pay for volunteer T-shirts, cover Mike Clark's expenses, etc.
 4.  Mural Project – there are several kids working on finding a new location for the mural idea that has been on the back burner for a couple years now.  They have several locations in mind and need to begin arranging meetings with the folks who have authority to approve painting.  They also need to secure the support of a local professional mural artist who will oversee the scaling process.  We have some leads.
 5.  Herbie Jr. - This kids would like to see Herbie finally find a home.  They came up with the idea that perhaps the car could find a home at River Kids Park.  More discussion needed.
 6.  T-shirt Design – it's time for a new T-shirt, so there's a group that is bouncing around ideas for a new T – they need to get some final sketches together and present them to the group.  Then we will proceed with purchasing the new Ts
 7.  No group on this one, but your codeword for proving that you read this is: Brrrrrrrrrrr!

Another group also worked on new ideas for how to spend meetings.  The list of possibilities was large and full of great thoughts.  We'll be discussing these ideas at this week's meeting.

There are still plans afoot to work on a dugout canoe…another back burner item that needs to have a flame  put back under it.

Also, know that Shannah uploaded the video footage from the 10/10/10 trip to the One Day On Earth website…As it stands, we sent in a low-quality version of the great footage Frank shot, and now we wait to hear if they are interested in receiving a high-quality version for inclusion in the main documentary.  We may be able to make our own short documentary from the footage as well.  Some ideas are bouncing about …I'll keep you posted…

So, we've been inside and busy working for a while…I think it's time to get out again…anyone else itching for some river time?  We'll be scheduling a winter paddle and a River des Peres cleanup to get folks a chance to keep that connection with the rivers alive…I'll let you know when there are some firm plans, but we're talking about early December…We'll also be scheduling a Boating Safety course with the Coast Guard soon. Looking at dates for that as well.

Anything new in your lives?  Any new ideas for River Kids?  Any new questions?  (No old ones, please.)  Any boxes of hot chocolate lying around the house that you need to get rid of?  (We'll be using them when we head outside in December, that's for sure!)

Quote of the Week: "All the water that ever was or will be…is."  A. Nonymous

Take care…see you on the river or in the halls,

Ben

Board Meeting Tonight

To RK Board Members and Families:

Hello all,

This is a late follow-up to another email suggesting that there would be an RK Board Meeting tonight.  I only heard from one person who said she could not make it, so I am still planning on holding the meeting tonight from 5-6pm.  We will meet in the library at 5pm. Pizza and drinks will be provided as usual.

Let me know if you have any questions,

Ben