"In The Beginning........"

Speaking of the Reel Paddling Film Festival World Tour....I'm sure someone was. There has to be a beginning if you believe in beginnings or maybe there doesn't. Fact is that sometimes things just are and sometimes they are because they were made that way. Such is the most times thankless task of volunteering. Some things just wouldn't be if there were no volunteers. Fire Departments, for example, rely heavily in some communities for donated time and sometimes expertise. Well organizing viewing of Film Festivals is no different especially when proceeds go to a worthy cause. The proceeds of the showing of the Reel Paddling Film Festival in St. John's Newfoundland on Saturday April 19th, 2008 at 7pm will be going towards a "Kids Paddle Day" sometime this summer. I look at youth as a beginning for a lot of things but lets face it, you are not going to be doing first descents at 65 yrs of age, well maybe,... if you are the first to exit a water slide in a pool in your kayak. At 45 I made my first descent that way. Getting of track though. My point is that youth are more likely to have the vitality sometimes called (balls) to do the things the older lot would not. Sometimes they need coaching, sometimes just plain ole inspiration and other times opportunity. Not many will be able to afford a nice shiny boat or a paddle for that matter but giving those that can't an opportunity at least for one measly day to say "hey, I tried that before", is worth every bit of non recognition you may receive from helping make it happen. To those like Ashley from The Outfitters, The Outfitters and KNL and those who sponsor them at times thank you for helping with a beginning and maybe the smiles on paddle day will be as shiny as the boats above. Oh yeah, and the smiles on John and Ashley. Thanks for the help guys!