It costs about $800 to send a young cancer survivor to Brad Ludden’s First Descents kayak camp. The free week-long camps, developed by pro paddler Ludden, teach kayaking to young adults caught in cancer’s dark shadow. The idea is the confidence that comes from learning to kayak girds young adults for a battle with cancer.
On Saturday, a paddle-a-thon will help raise money to keep the cancer survivors paddling. Participants gather pledges for each mile paddled and then propel anything that floats – kayaks, rafts, rubber duckies, inflatable toys – down the meandering Upper Colorado from Rancho del Rio to State Bridge Lodge as many times as they can between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
An after-party at State Bridge and free kayak demos from Alpine Quest in Edwards are available to all participants.
Do it — Get more info at www.firstdescents.org.
