2nd Annual Pueblo Paddle-A-Thon

By Lauren Burress

The 2nd annual Pueblo Paddle-A-Thon was held this weekend to send young adults with cancer to Sweetwater a 6-day kayak camp. The white water park was packed with spectators to paddlers everyone there for the cause. The way it worked was when you did a lap you raised more money for the benefit; no matter how you got down the river you could kayak, raft, or even swim! I personally did a couple runs in my boat played on a body board and for the first time did a run with my dad in a ducky. It was hilarious we said that we were going to surf in every hole, and we did!

Eleanor Perry was there and was safety boating and leading people down. I don’t think there were that many swims if any. It was quite amazing when I met someone named Mark Thornton he is a paraplegic and was in an inflatable kayak doing laps. At the end there was a shuttle so they would lift him on, then load up the rest of the boats and people, to again put in up top for another lap.

There were a lot of kids there going down in ducky’s and rafts. Hopefully they will be on their way to kayaks soon enough. There were tons of raffles and prizes. By the end of the day $5,355 dollars was raised. And a total of 5 kids are going to attend the 6-day Colorado Kayak Adventure Camp. All in all the benefit was very beneficial to the cancer patients.

Lauren Burress