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Home News Nantahala Racing Club Wins Fourth Grant for 2016 Season

Nantahala Racing Club, a Swain County non-profit organization dedicated to introducing youth and families to whitewater recreation and developing competitive prospects in whitewater slalom, freestyle and wildwater paddling, has won its fourth grant for the 2016 season. Combined, these grants total nearly $45k, and will be use to get paddlers from Western North Carolina and beyond on the water.
 
The full list of grants earned by the Nantahala Racing Club includes:

  • The Columbia Sportswear Belay Grant for $5k supporting Nantahala Kids Club, an after-school program for Western North Carolina youth that may have never paddled their local rivers or had access to paddling programs at all. This program has a full roster of 35 kids signed up for its Spring session, and the NKC will also provide a Fall session later in the year.
  • A Patagonia Environmental Grant for $5k to stabilize riverbanks on heavily used rivers, providing access for guests and restoring riparian habitat.
  • A Craig H. Nielson Foundation grant for $20k, helping NRC introduce whitewater recreation to those recovering from spinal cord injuries. The grant will help instructors earn the American Canoe Association’s adaptive paddling certification and will assist NRC in obtaining specialized equipment for paddlers managing spinal cord injuries. The NRC will work directly with the Johnson City, TN chapter of Team River Runner to support veterans recovering from combat injuries as well as serving other patients suffering from spinal cord injuries.
  • The Cherokee Preservation Foundation Grant will help NRC develop a youth leadership program to benefit youth in Cherokee, NC.  The program will provide an opportunity for local kids to connect with their natural resources and will provide an opportunity for kids to adopt a healthy, active outdoor lifestyle.

NRC Executive Director Daniel Willis commented, “A large part of our mission is to break down barriers to participation in whitewater sport. These grants will help us share the personal rewards that water sports can provide with those that may not have had the opportunity previously due to their disability and access issues.”
 
For information on Nantahala Racing Club programs and membership, or to make a donation supporting NRC, please visit nantahalaracingclub.com.