The Boise chapter of Team River Runner held a three day clinic on the Payette River system as veterans challenged themselves on a variety of different stretches of river.
On Monday, the team took on Swirly Canyon on the South Fork of the Payette River, Tuesday they enjoyed the Main Payette and Team River Runner finished up the clinic with the North Fork of the Payette Cabarton stretch on Wednesday.
"My step daughter passed away four years ago and I was at the bottom of my pit," said Air Force veteran Patrick Tracy. "A team river runner guy came in and said do you want to paddle? I said yes save me and I haven’t stopped. I’m a river man now and I spend six months of the year on the river."
Team River Runner has helped many veterans since this non-profit was created in Washington D.C. back in 2014. Now there are chapters all over the country including the Boise chapter that Bob Tracy started in 2015.
"It’s very rewarding," said Bob. "That’s why I’ve done it for almost ten years and I tell you there are so many stories how this has saved or turned somebodies life around."
Patrick Tracy is a perfect example as being on the river is therapeutic. Patrick enjoys the challenge of navigating whitewater and he gets to enjoy do so with other veterans.
"I can’t express in words even though I’m very verbose what this group and these people do they are my friends," said Patrick. "I have friends all over the United States now."
Team River Runner only works because of volunteers who give up their time to teach skills to veterans, share their knowledge of the rapids and guide the team down as safety boaters.
The program starts in the pool with learning how to exit a kayak and attempting to roll. From there it moves into flatwater training and culminates in something like the clinic where veterans run challenging rivers.
We did our first story on Team River Runner two years ago, it has been amazing to see how much the boaters have progressed since then and that includes Patrick.
"I went backwards in the second part of Trestle right in the meat of the big rapids," said Patrick. "I stayed calm, put my brace in and just spun it around. It was beautiful, it looked like I was in a movie."
During the clinic the veterans camp up at the Longhorn Ranch, the veterans that don't have a lot of experience get to ride in a raft and the camaraderie really makes this event special. Mark Eberhart came from Washington D.C. to get his first taste of Idaho rivers.
"They are beautiful, they are jewels and amazing," said Mark, who used to work for the Department of Defense until he lost his leg because of cancer. "Team River Runner you come for the kayaking, you stay for the community and it has changed my life."
For more information on Team River Runner and how to get involved click here.
