The Daily Citizen, Dalton, GA

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July 27, 2011

'Pink Paddle' set for Saturday in Cherokee County

Submitted by the Coosa River Basin Initiative

Local river protection groups and Woodstock resident Agatha Bresnan are teaming up to raise money for breast cancer awareness and river protection through a 15-mile paddle down the Etowah River in Cherokee County on Saturday.

The “Pink Paddle” hosted by the Coosa River Basin Initiative (CRBI) in Rome and the Upper Etowah River Alliance (UERA) in Canton will run from East Cherokee Drive to Boling Park in Canton, taking in rural Cherokee County and passing over several Native American fish weirs before entering the city of Canton.  

Bresnan, an avid paddler and CRBI member, came up with the idea after signing up to participant in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure walk in Atlanta Oct. 21-23. Participants in the 60-mile walk are asked to raise $2,300 to help end breast cancer.

“I love paddling and our rivers and I’m committed to finding a cure for breast cancer, so I thought this would be a great way to combine my passions,” Bresnan said. “My husband suggested doing a ‘Pink Paddle’ and here we are saving breasts and biodiversity at the same time by paddling down the Etowah.”

Participants in the Pink Paddle can make a donation on the day of the paddle or by making an online contribution at www.firstgiving.com/coosa/fundraisers (search for Agatha Bresnan’s fundraising page). Half the proceeds from the fundraiser will go to Bresnan’s Susan G. Komen fundraising effort and the other half will benefit CRBI, which works to protect the Etowah River and the endangered fish species that call it home. Paddlers are encouraged to go “pink” for the occasion.

Shuttles will be provided for a small fee and boat rentals are available. The trip is free to CRBI and UERA members. CRBI and UERA are offering joint year memberships for $35 through this trip. Pre-registration is required.

To register, pay membership dues and/or rent a boat, visit www.coosa.org/events/paddle-trips or contact CRBI Volunteer Adventure Trip Coordinator Alan Crawford at (706) 237-7268 or via email to ibwheelin2@yahoo.com.

The Etowah is considered one of the country’s most biologically diverse river systems with 76 native fish species. It is home to 10 imperiled aquatic species, including the federally protected Cherokee, Etowah and Amber darters.

CRBI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and member of the international Waterkeeper Alliance. Its mission is to inform and empower citizens to protect, preserve and restore North America’s most biologically diverse river basin.

The Upper Etowah River Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to inform and educate citizens to conserve, sustain and enhance the beauty and environmental health of the Upper Etowah River Watershed.

The Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure walks are held at locations across the country and fund innovative global breast cancer research and local community programs supporting education, screening and treatment.

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