Can you believe it, we are 13 years in our new clubhouse and our 22nd year at the Hollow? What a great place and partnership we have with the park and the Army Corps. Few clubs are as lucky. However there will be some changes this year. We are losing Doug and Louellen Mayan who have been so helpful in keeping an eye on the clubhouse, and taking care of the grounds. Their efforts have been superlative. We may also be losing our park ranger, Gary who has also been great. So keep an eye on things to see how these changes affect us. But nonetheless, after a brutal winter, we welcome a new year and encourage you to continue to enjoy yourself but at the same time, encourage others to join as well. We will have a busy schedule this year and it is imperative that all pitch in. (See tentative schedule below.)

          It is time again to renew your membership in the Columbia Canoe Club and the good news is nothing has changed. That is, membership fees are staying the same (see rates at bottom of this message), and the same rules apply: you must complete a new waiver for each member and update any other information that may be pertinent to your membership. Life jackets still must be worn, do not paddle alone and guests should leave a donation.

 Last year was an uneventful one as far as the club is concerned. That is, no incidents, or problems at the clubhouse or the lake. I appreciate that, as it has not been so easy in the past. As you know I would like very much to hand the chairpersonship over to someone within the club and that means that more folks need to be involved. This has been a tough winter, as I have had shoulder surgery and doubt I will see a kayak this season. My own directions have taken me to new endeavors and it is time to hand over this stewardship to others with new ideas and certainly new energy. So please, consider getting involved. Mark your calendars:

Annual Cleanup Saturday April 30, 9:00   This will be our first get together and will be a time to pick up parking passes, keys, etc. If for any reason you need your materials prior to then, please contact me. You will have to allow time to process your applications before getting on the water, so send things in  (at least two weeks) prior to planning to paddle. 

          Watch the websites for more information and keep your email current.      

           Keys will not change but the combination will, you will receive it on renewal.  If you get the clubhouse and can’t get in then you haven’t renewed. Please be sure to do it promptly or a late fee will be incurred. 

          Please realize that your membership has to be processed with the American Canoe Association and that takes  about two weeks.  So do not wait to join on the day you plan on paddling. Make it easy on yourself and do it now, while the weather may not allow you to be distracted.

          In addition, with warmer weather around the corner, use prudence when choosing when to paddle. A mistake on the lake can end you in the brink and hypothermia, a condition in which the body temperatures lowers very quickly- can kill. Please wait until the air temperature and water temperature are at the very least 100 degrees combined before even considering an outing. Ice on the lake is dangerous and can easily entrap you. Where you may start out in open water, can quickly be closed up with an ice floe, so wait until it is really and truly spring. As always, I will make the combination active when I think it is safe.

Here are the sites for obtaining your waivers. Please pay NO, I repeat, NO attention to the fees above the waivers. These are for ACA memberships only, and do not apply to our club. Go to the fees button to see our dues structure. It has not changed for 2011. After printing waivers, use your browser BACK button to return to our site.

           Adult waiver

          Minor waivers

If for some reason these links fail, try going to the American Canoe Assoc. direct at http://www.americancanoe.org

THIS IS A NEW SITE FOR THEM

 and look for Clubs and Affiliate Insurance, and then PAC as we are a Pac Club. Read down and you will see the links for the adult or minor waivers.. Again, pay no attention to the dues structure at the top of these pages. 

The waiver must be filled out for each member yearly and submitted to me with membership fees below. PLEASE WRITE AND PRINT CLEARLY. Do not worry about ACA number.  Do not renew through the ACA or your membership will not be valid with CCC