This year's annual Paddle GA & Canoe-a-
thon, which took us about 85 miles down the Broad River from Franklin Springs, GA to
Clarks Hill Reservoir and then down the Savannah River to Augusta, GA with a short paddle down the historic Augusta Canal, included a special blessing of camaraderie and fellowship from one of our college student volunteers, JD
DeCastra who attends Auburn University. JD was not only a great help to me but jumped in to help the rest of the Paddle GA Navy whenever the opportunity presented itself and proved himself an admirable fund raiser by raising more contributions than anyone else. He then distinguished himself once again by donating the first place prize of a We-no-nah Adirondack canoe back to the OWLS Ministry to help us in providing great opportunities for sponsored at-risk teens.
JD's selection of river trash earned him the title "Chair-man of the Broad." Once again I'll give you a break from my writing by giving the floor to JD. Here is his report of the week we spent on one of
GA's foremost river systems:
JD introduced me to one of the many critters we met along the way. When I started on this trip I was not sure of what I was doing or why I was doing it. I did not know the significance of or importance of what I had signed up to do. I took a leap of faith and jumped on an opportunity that presented itself before I had a chance to change my mind. The bulk of my struggle came when I was trying to raise the money to go on the trip. There were many times that I wanted to give up and say that I was unable to raise the money. However God blessed me with the strength to continue and stick it out. So when I was finally going, I was ecstatic, but nervous at the same time. Yes I work with kids, and know how to deal with them but I had no idea the gravity of the situation that I was embarking on.
Warren Raymer who was a repeat OWLS participant enjoyed every rope swing he could find. When I first meet up with Mr.
Simms I was give the tragic news that my paddling partner was not going to attend due to a death in the family, and that we were going to have an even smaller group of kids. It seemed as if the trip was already a bust before it had even begun. However even the tragedies in life are a part of God’s plan an even though I do not understand why some things happen I must trust that they are there to better me and those around me. The fact that there were not many kids on the trip allowed me to talk not only with kids but also with adults. This put me even further out of my comfort zone. It is hard enough to get someone to see God in every day events, and help them understand the lessons learned when that person is half your age, but trying to do the same to someone who is twice your age is even more difficult. People twice your age are suppose to have twice the wisdom and intelligence and are the ones who are suppose to be teaching you, and it took a while to get accustomed to switching shoes (I am still nowhere near comfortable doing so still).
JD, Brad, and Warren discussing God's lessons as they travel downriver. The first day I sat at the starting location for around six hours by myself waiting for the rest of the OWLS to arrive. During this time I was very far out of my comfort zone so I stuck to the manners that my parents taught me, said a prayer for strength, and dove in head first to meet as many people as I could. I met many great people during this time, their ages ranging from young to old. Even though you just met them they treat you as if you had known them for years. The whole environment is very welcoming. The outdoors seems to have this effect on people. At Paddle Georgia everyone is the same. Everyone has to paddle the same amount, carry their own gear, suffer through the same heat, and sleep in the same uncomfortable sleeping conditions. It gives people something to relate to with each other.
Notice Warren's lowered center of gravity as Brad maneuvers through the shoals. Through out the trip I shared my life story with random people that I met along the way and they would share theirs with me. I would talk and meet people on the river, eating a meal, sitting at camp, and riding the shuttle. The best part was I met people of all ages, walks of life, and different geographical areas. This gave me the opportunity to see the great diversity of God’s people, the fact that everyone has far different personalities but yet we are all the same. There was a time when I was paddling with someone on the last day and we were about 100 feet from the take out when we both jumped in to say that we have swam in the most polluted river in Georgia. We then started to swim to the take out and one thing lead to another and we were racing to the take out with or boats being dragged behind us. Then people started to line the edge of the river and cheer us on. I unfortunately lost but oh well. The point of the story is to show the camaraderie of all the people on the trip.
"Chair-man of the Broad" day two. The morning of the second day was the first of our 85 miles. While on the river I had the opportunity to witness many of God’s lessons through nature and the people around me. The river offered many different types of experiences: there were times when I was by myself and it seemed as if I was the only one around for hundreds of miles. I used this time to reflect on my own life, listen to God and appreciate him in the natural world around me, or I was in the middle of a group of people shooting water guns, playing around, or talking. Experiences also changed with the river. Some days there were rapids, flat swift current on a relatively narrow river, or flat still water in the middle of a lake with the sun beating down on me, and with each different environment came many different lessons and experiences.
JD just about to get his hair wet at the top of "The Falls."
I think JD was the only one to hold his nose while taking the long plunge into the lake. The best day was when we first put on the Savannah River. We put in below a dam were the water temp was in the mid 50’s.
Paddling in the early morning fog was the only time we felt even a little cool air. In the morning there was a fog over the water that was so thick I would barely see 20 feet in front of me. The most amazing part was that I could see the sun rays coming down hit the water and reflect off, and to add to the experience and beauty just as the fog was lifting a bald eagle soared over the river at tree top level. This was a sight that I will most likely never see again.
The rising sun sent visible messages reminding us of God's awesome love. The part of the trip that stuck out to me was the talks I had with Mr.
Simms at the end of the day. Our talks were normally about the lessons that we learned throughout the day and he would tell me stories of past trips and of the kids that he has worked with. This was when I began to realize the gravity of what I had embarked on. Two things happened I began see and realize that kids are stuck in a cycle of poverty, and how trips like paddle Georgia can be beneficial to the kids. Some of the problems that face underprivileged kids are, a lack of problem solving skills, individualism, and team work. When the kids are in school they are told to sit and listen, they are not challenged to be creative individuals or have an opinion, and since kids are not taught these things at school they learn these from the street and the people they hang around (not always the best place to learn these things). What paddle Georgia offered these kids was the opportunity to not only to experience something new but begin to learn these valuable skills. When you are paddling a tandem boat you must work as a team or you will never get down the river. A perfect example of this was a canoe I noticed where the person in the back was not paddling - just dragging the paddle in the water instead, because of this it was taking a long time for the boat to get down stream, and the sweep boat (the boat that will be the last off the river) was trying to make them go faster. Eventually the person was removed and the boat made it down the river. So in order to effectively paddle a boat you have to work as a team or you will never reach your goal. Being on the river not only forces you to work as a team but also to use problem-solving skills. As my experience coaching little kids gymnastics, I have discovered first hand that small kids have no problem-solving skills and they must be taught, something that can only be learned through trial and error. Paddling presents the perfect opportunity to do this. When you are sitting at the top of a rapid you have a problem that you must overcome. The problem is that you have to get to the bottom of the rapid without getting hurt. This step does two things it teaches the kids to recognize a problem and set an overall goal. Then you must pick a line, and stay on that line. As you are going down it is easy to get off line and you must react to the situation. This teaches the kids to think through how to achieve their ultimate goal and overcome the original problem. It also teaches them to react to an unexpected change in their original plan. Finally just being around a multitude of different individuals shows the kids the importance of individualism. They get the opportunity to get out of their bubble where all the kids act the same and just be themselves. However it is hard for kids to pick up on lessons such as these and it is even harder for them to apply the lessons to their own life. This is where OWLS comes in. We don’t just tell the kids the lessons that they should learn but we make them see them for themselves. We ask certain questions to get the kids thinking and guide them in the right direction. In doing this we help to teach the kids to pick up on the lessons themselves. It also rewards, and teaches them the importance of creative thinking.
Anthony Shoals was one of my favorite parts of the trip. The trip started out on a bad foot with the loss of my paddling partner but overall it was an amazing and rewarding trip. I not only got to meet many new people, experience God in the natural world, help people along their journey through life, and grow closer to God but by the end I understood the importance of what I had signed up to do and am very grateful that God gave me this opportunity. I pray that many kids will be able experience the same that I did and grow to better themselves and those around them. JD Decastra - 2010
Looks like JD was a favorite of many along the way!
These ducks kept me companion for the last 2-1/2 miles of the trip.
JD's selection of river trash earned him the title "Chair-man of the Broad." Once again I'll give you a break from my writing by giving the floor to JD. Here is his report of the week we spent on one of GA's foremost river systems: 
JD introduced me to one of the many critters we met along the way. When I started on this trip I was not sure of what I was doing or why I was doing it. I did not know the significance of or importance of what I had signed up to do. I took a leap of faith and jumped on an opportunity that presented itself before I had a chance to change my mind. The bulk of my struggle came when I was trying to raise the money to go on the trip. There were many times that I wanted to give up and say that I was unable to raise the money. However God blessed me with the strength to continue and stick it out. So when I was finally going, I was ecstatic, but nervous at the same time. Yes I work with kids, and know how to deal with them but I had no idea the gravity of the situation that I was embarking on. 
Warren Raymer who was a repeat OWLS participant enjoyed every rope swing he could find. When I first meet up with Mr. Simms I was give the tragic news that my paddling partner was not going to attend due to a death in the family, and that we were going to have an even smaller group of kids. It seemed as if the trip was already a bust before it had even begun. However even the tragedies in life are a part of God’s plan an even though I do not understand why some things happen I must trust that they are there to better me and those around me. The fact that there were not many kids on the trip allowed me to talk not only with kids but also with adults. This put me even further out of my comfort zone. It is hard enough to get someone to see God in every day events, and help them understand the lessons learned when that person is half your age, but trying to do the same to someone who is twice your age is even more difficult. People twice your age are suppose to have twice the wisdom and intelligence and are the ones who are suppose to be teaching you, and it took a while to get accustomed to switching shoes (I am still nowhere near comfortable doing so still). 
JD, Brad, and Warren discussing God's lessons as they travel downriver. The first day I sat at the starting location for around six hours by myself waiting for the rest of the OWLS to arrive. During this time I was very far out of my comfort zone so I stuck to the manners that my parents taught me, said a prayer for strength, and dove in head first to meet as many people as I could. I met many great people during this time, their ages ranging from young to old. Even though you just met them they treat you as if you had known them for years. The whole environment is very welcoming. The outdoors seems to have this effect on people. At Paddle Georgia everyone is the same. Everyone has to paddle the same amount, carry their own gear, suffer through the same heat, and sleep in the same uncomfortable sleeping conditions. It gives people something to relate to with each other. 
Notice Warren's lowered center of gravity as Brad maneuvers through the shoals. Through out the trip I shared my life story with random people that I met along the way and they would share theirs with me. I would talk and meet people on the river, eating a meal, sitting at camp, and riding the shuttle. The best part was I met people of all ages, walks of life, and different geographical areas. This gave me the opportunity to see the great diversity of God’s people, the fact that everyone has far different personalities but yet we are all the same. There was a time when I was paddling with someone on the last day and we were about 100 feet from the take out when we both jumped in to say that we have swam in the most polluted river in Georgia. We then started to swim to the take out and one thing lead to another and we were racing to the take out with or boats being dragged behind us. Then people started to line the edge of the river and cheer us on. I unfortunately lost but oh well. The point of the story is to show the camaraderie of all the people on the trip. 
"Chair-man of the Broad" day two. The morning of the second day was the first of our 85 miles. While on the river I had the opportunity to witness many of God’s lessons through nature and the people around me. The river offered many different types of experiences: there were times when I was by myself and it seemed as if I was the only one around for hundreds of miles. I used this time to reflect on my own life, listen to God and appreciate him in the natural world around me, or I was in the middle of a group of people shooting water guns, playing around, or talking. Experiences also changed with the river. Some days there were rapids, flat swift current on a relatively narrow river, or flat still water in the middle of a lake with the sun beating down on me, and with each different environment came many different lessons and experiences. 
JD just about to get his hair wet at the top of "The Falls." 
I think JD was the only one to hold his nose while taking the long plunge into the lake. The best day was when we first put on the Savannah River. We put in below a dam were the water temp was in the mid 50’s. 
Paddling in the early morning fog was the only time we felt even a little cool air. In the morning there was a fog over the water that was so thick I would barely see 20 feet in front of me. The most amazing part was that I could see the sun rays coming down hit the water and reflect off, and to add to the experience and beauty just as the fog was lifting a bald eagle soared over the river at tree top level. This was a sight that I will most likely never see again. 
The rising sun sent visible messages reminding us of God's awesome love. The part of the trip that stuck out to me was the talks I had with Mr. Simms at the end of the day. Our talks were normally about the lessons that we learned throughout the day and he would tell me stories of past trips and of the kids that he has worked with. This was when I began to realize the gravity of what I had embarked on. Two things happened I began see and realize that kids are stuck in a cycle of poverty, and how trips like paddle Georgia can be beneficial to the kids. Some of the problems that face underprivileged kids are, a lack of problem solving skills, individualism, and team work. When the kids are in school they are told to sit and listen, they are not challenged to be creative individuals or have an opinion, and since kids are not taught these things at school they learn these from the street and the people they hang around (not always the best place to learn these things). What paddle Georgia offered these kids was the opportunity to not only to experience something new but begin to learn these valuable skills. When you are paddling a tandem boat you must work as a team or you will never get down the river. A perfect example of this was a canoe I noticed where the person in the back was not paddling - just dragging the paddle in the water instead, because of this it was taking a long time for the boat to get down stream, and the sweep boat (the boat that will be the last off the river) was trying to make them go faster. Eventually the person was removed and the boat made it down the river. So in order to effectively paddle a boat you have to work as a team or you will never reach your goal. Being on the river not only forces you to work as a team but also to use problem-solving skills. As my experience coaching little kids gymnastics, I have discovered first hand that small kids have no problem-solving skills and they must be taught, something that can only be learned through trial and error. Paddling presents the perfect opportunity to do this. When you are sitting at the top of a rapid you have a problem that you must overcome. The problem is that you have to get to the bottom of the rapid without getting hurt. This step does two things it teaches the kids to recognize a problem and set an overall goal. Then you must pick a line, and stay on that line. As you are going down it is easy to get off line and you must react to the situation. This teaches the kids to think through how to achieve their ultimate goal and overcome the original problem. It also teaches them to react to an unexpected change in their original plan. Finally just being around a multitude of different individuals shows the kids the importance of individualism. They get the opportunity to get out of their bubble where all the kids act the same and just be themselves. However it is hard for kids to pick up on lessons such as these and it is even harder for them to apply the lessons to their own life. This is where OWLS comes in. We don’t just tell the kids the lessons that they should learn but we make them see them for themselves. We ask certain questions to get the kids thinking and guide them in the right direction. In doing this we help to teach the kids to pick up on the lessons themselves. It also rewards, and teaches them the importance of creative thinking. 
Anthony Shoals was one of my favorite parts of the trip. The trip started out on a bad foot with the loss of my paddling partner but overall it was an amazing and rewarding trip. I not only got to meet many new people, experience God in the natural world, help people along their journey through life, and grow closer to God but by the end I understood the importance of what I had signed up to do and am very grateful that God gave me this opportunity. I pray that many kids will be able experience the same that I did and grow to better themselves and those around them. JD Decastra - 2010 
Looks like JD was a favorite of many along the way! 
These ducks kept me companion for the last 2-1/2 miles of the trip.
