By Kathryn M.
This summer, volunteers from the Rocky Mountain Canoe Club (RMCC) hosted four events to get kids – some of whom have never had an opportunity to boat before – out on a local reservoir to both experience the joy of boating and to better understand and appreciate the value of our waterways. During the four events (June 1 and 17, July 29 and August 12, 2026), a total of 18 RMCC members plus four RMCC kids, equipped and shepherded boaters from BeyondHome – a transitional housing community in Arvada Colorado – for boating excursions on Bear Creek Lake and Soda Lake in Jefferson County Colorado. During the four events, RMCC volunteers spent over 260 hours in equipment prep, transport, instruction and boating and provided over 70 hard-shell and inflatable boats plus PFDs, and paddles to equip themselves, 19 BeyondHome kids, ages 6 – 13, plus BeyondHome staff, volunteers and a few parents. In all we had more than 45 kid-days of fun!
Special thanks to our on-site volunteers: Bill Ashworth, Ted Englemann, Mark Flora (3 times!), Brookie Gallagher, Debbie Hinde (twice!), Matt Hoekstra, Sue Hughes, Doug Hurcomb (twice!), Gilbert and May Kendsior, Kat Mutz (4 times!), Elaine O’Reilly (twice!), Jeff Oxenford (twice!), Randy Purrett (4 times! & he transported me!!), Steven Splitek (twice!), Leslie Taylor (twice!), and Kit Williams.
Our volunteers brought a wide variety of boats, including sea kayaks, recreational kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, inflatable kayaks, and tubes. All participants had the opportunity to try different types of paddlecraft, discover what they enjoyed, and experience how each one felt on the water. For many of the kids, the fun was simply exploring something new and having the freedom to try a different boat throughout the day or at each event.
In addition to our on-site volunteers, Jerry Nyre, Ed Sejud and Charlotte Tyson, May and Gilbert Kendsior, Martin Orner, and Gay Lynn’s neighbors all loaned or donated equipment to supplement what the volunteer boaters brought. Thanks! Donated kid-sized paddles and PFDs and a sit-on-top 5’ kayak (TBD) will be available for members to borrow through our equipment loan program.
Our boating days with BeyondHome were 10:30 – 3:30, but each day we arrived early to secure a shady spot at either Bear Creek Lake or Soda Lake, organize our armada, inflate inflatables, and relax for a bit before our high-energy days began. Our first – June 1 – event was rather chaotic, but throughout the summer we learned more about boating with a group of kids. While everyone helped with ideas, special thanks go to Debbie, Jeff, Matt, Steven, Mark and Elaine for sharing their experience with kid-group paddling and instruction. Formal instruction at the events was minimal, but included rescue demonstrations, quick-start paddle stroke practice, and one-on-one mentoring. Mostly the kids seemed to enjoy their summer freedom on the water boating solo, tandem, soggy koala, chauffeured, battling for control of a SUP, towing a friend, blasting anyone nearby with water pumps, diving from perched vessels, and more. Despite the mostly unstructured events, by the end we had a young boy doing cross-bow forward strokes, a girl asking for and participating in an assisted canoe rescue scenario, kids helping with our safety talk, and a mom/daughter combo sharing their first-times boating – together. Afternoon storms – either lightning or high winds – paused one event and shortened two of the other three, but we were off the water and packed up by at least 4:00 each day.
Event costs for the club were zero:
● All of the on-site RMCC volunteers were ACA annual members and paid their own entry into the park ($10 per car; $5 for seniors).
● The lakes we boated are Jefferson County park facilities where BeyondHome partners with Jefferson County Open Space for their Junior Ranger Program and receives free park entry.
● All of the BeyondHome participants (or their parents/guardians) signed ACA waivers for Event Memberships. And RMCC members made cash donations to pay $10 event fees ($90) for the 9 BeyondHome adult participants. Thanks to Chris Brimsek and Sue Hughes for their cash donations to subsidize these ACA Event fees – with money leftover for next year!
● ACA awarded RMCC a small L.L.Bean grant to defray the event membership fees for the kids.
A fun – and exhausting? – time was had by all.
The kids were delightful.
The adults from BeyondHome were great to work with – with special thanks to Youth Coordinator Jenni MacLean.
Join us for Kids on the Water 2027?
P.S. A few photos below and more on the RMCC Members Googledrive at Photos from Events
