Georgia River Network's Annual Conference and Celebration
"Wild Encounters and Stories Fished from the River"
When: March 31-April 1, 2012
Where: Chattahoochee Nature Center, Roswell, Georgia
Cost: $45 for adults (before March 1st, $50 after March 1st), $40 for the kid's program. Ticket prices include Saturday presentations and party, Saturday night camping, shuttles for Sunday paddle on the Chattahoochee River and all meals from Saturday breakfast to Sunday breakfast. Participants will need to pack their own lunch for the river on Sunday. No daily rate will be offered, but tickets to the party for those who are not registered for the weekend can be purchased for $25/ticket.
In order to complete Weekend for Rivers registration, you must also fill out a liability waiver for the April 1st Paddle Georgia Tune-Up, which can be found HERE.
GRN’s Annual Conference and River Celebration event that gives us all a chance to celebrate Georgia’s unique, beautiful rivers through storytelling, partying and paddling!
Join us March 31st for a day of inspiration, education and connections with folks who love Georgia’s rivers as much as you! The day will include river-lovers of all kinds expressing their passion for rivers with short, inspiring presentations and interactive forums that will paint a broad picture of the state of Georgia’s rivers and the people who protect, enjoy and honor them. People will be expressing their passion for rivers through story, photography, poetry, music and art. No boring Power Points!
In the evening, we’ll have a ton of fun at our annual River Celebration Party and then we’ll camp at the Chattahoochee Nature Center (indoor and outdoor camping will be available, Paddle Georgia-style--OR you can just get a hotel room). The next morning, we'll wake up and paddle a 9-mile stretch of the beautiful Chattahoochee River! The experience will be as close to the real thing as possible (right down to the bus shuttles, the gym camping and the Satterfield’s catering) for the uninitiated as well as for all you Paddle Georgia fanatics who regularly plead with us to plan more than one event each year. Thanks go to Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, who lead popular trips and events on the ‘Hooch all the time, in supporting us on the paddle.
Registration is open! You can register online HERE. If you'd rather fax (706.549.7791) or mail in (126 S. Milledge Ave. SteE3, Athens, GA 30605) in your registration, you can find a pdf of our registration form HERE.
In order to participate in the Mini-Paddle Georgia, each man, woman and child must complete a liability waiver and mail it to 126 S. Milledge Ave. SteE3, Athens, GA 30605. No faxes or photocopies will be accepted. You can access the American Canoe Association liability waivers for minors and adults HERE.
Have you ever wanted to just try Paddle Georgia without committing to a whole week? Are you a Paddle Georgia veteran who can't wait until the end of June to get your fix? Either way, on April 1st, we're packing everything folks love about Paddle Georgia into one day: the great time on the river, the gymnasium (or outdoor) camping, the bus shuttles--even the same caterer will be the same!
So, join us for a 9-mile stretch of the beautiful Chattahoochee River on April 1st!
Georgia Adopt-A-Stream will be providing water monitoring certification classes on the river. To sign up for the Adopt-A-Stream certification training, contact Tara Muenz at
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Also, National Park Service naturalist Allyson Read will have a table set up at Island Ford boat landing during the day's paddle between 11 - 1pm, with information about Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, the local flora and fauna, and trail maps for those who need to stretch their legs. Restroom facilities and water are available in the Visitors Center which will be open that day from 9-5 this day.
THE ROUTE and SAFETY
We'll be paddling a 9-mile stretch of the Chattahoochee River through the newly-designated national water trail in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. All participants must be present for a short safety briefing on Sunday morning (we'll be running them every 15 minutes between 8:30 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. All particpants must also wear a life vest at all times on the river.
RIVER SHUTTLES
Sunday, April 1st:
After camping Saturday night at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, paddlers will wake up Sunday morning, eat breakfast and pack up.
For paddlers who are bringing their own boats: At around 8 a.m., folks who are paddling their own boats are going to drive from the Nature Center to Garrard’s Landing--it's about a 20 minutes drive. Parking will be available at Garrard's Landing and the City of Roswell will provide security for vehicles parked there during the day. Paddlers can check onto the river between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. after they've heard a short safety briefing.
The paddle will end at the Azalea Boat Ramp at the Chattahoochee River Park and shuttles will be available between noon and 5 p.m. back to Garrard's Landing for vehicle pick-up. We'll even shuttle your boats back to your car, too!
Here's a map to get from the Chattahoochee Nature Center to Garrard's Landing:
For Paddlers renting boats from Urban Currents: At 8 a.m., Chuck from Urban Currents will pick everyone who is renting a boat at the Chattahoochee Nature Center and will shuttle you to the put-in at Garrard's Landing where he'll get you all set up with your boats. When you've finished your paddle, Chuck will be accepting boats and will then shuttle you back to the Chattahoochee Nature Center where your car will be parked.
BOAT RENTAL INFORMATION
All Weekend for Rivers participants must arrange for their own boat, life preserver and paddles on the river. You can either bring your own or rent them from Urban Currents, the outfitter we're using for Weekend for Rivers boat rentals. To rent a boat for the day on April 1st, call Chuck Armentrout at (404) 590-2922. You can also email him at
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. Weekend for Rivers participants will get a 30% discount on boats--prices will range from $40-$60, depending on the boat. Quantities are limited, so reserve your boat soon!
RIVER CELEBRATION AWARDS AND PARTY
Join your friends at the Georgia River Network’s Weekend For Rivers Party on Saturday, March 31 at 7pm at The Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell
Register for the entire weekend if you would like to camp out and paddle on the river the next day or just register for the party! To buy tickets for the party only, click HERE.
Join us at 7pm for dinner by Satterfields, drinks from Sweetwater Brewery, music by our DJ, a silent auction, our famous Paddle GA Port-Potty-Auction, marshmallow roast by the fire pit and fun. River celebration awards will be presented to Allison Hughes, Tara Muenz, Poni Shannon and the OgeecheeRiverkeeper.
Host Committee
John Branch
Ben Emanuel
Charlotte Gillis
April Ingle
Sandy Layton
Chris Manganiello
Peter Morgan
Bonny Putney
Michael McCarthy
Bob Selwyn Jesslyn Shields
Dana Skelton Davin Welter
DIRECTIONS
From Roswell Road (Highway 9/U.S. 19):
(Heading North from Atlanta or I-285).
At the first traffic light after crossing the Chattahoochee River, turn left onto Azalea Drive. At the second traffic light, turn left onto Willeo Road. CNC is located one-half mile on the right.
From GA 400 Northbound:
Exit on Northridge (exit #6) and bear to the right, back over the expressway. Immediately after crossing over 400, turn right onto Dunwoody Place. Follow Dunwoody Place until it intersects with Roswell Road (1.2 miles). Turn right onto Roswell Road. At the first traffic light after crossing the Chattahoochee River, turn left onto Azalea Drive. At the second traffic light, turn left onto Willeo Road. CNC is located one-half mile on the right.
From GA 400 Southbound:
Exit Northridge Road (exit #6). At the top of the ramp is a traffic light. Travel straight through the traffic light onto Dunwoody Place. Follow Dunwoody Place until it intersects with Roswell Road (1.2 miles). Turn right onto Roswell Road. At the first traffic light after crossing the Chattahoochee River, turn left onto Azalea Drive. At the second traffic light, turn left onto Willeo Road. CNC is located one-half mile on the right.
From Marietta and All Points West:
Take Highway 120 (also called Marietta Highway or Upper Roswell Road) east toward the city of Roswell. Cross Johnson Ferry Road and travel approximately four miles to Willeo Road. At a traffic light, turn right onto Willeo Road. CNC is located one mile on the right.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHATTAHOOCHEE NATURE CENTER
The Chattahoochee Nature Center is located on the Chattahoochee River in Roswell and sits on a beautiful site comprised of 127 acres of native plants and gardens that showcase the beauty of Georgia. It has a River Boardwalk, Discovery Center, wetland demonstration gardens and woodland trails that are home to over 50 species of injured, non-releasable wildlife. For 30 years, this facility has continued to grow and reach out to citizens as a place to explore new ideas and expand the awareness of the natural world.
If you choose not to camp, rooms for the event have been blocked at the Courtyard by Marriott at 1500 Market Blvd in Roswell. 30076; To reserve a room, call 770-992-7200 and tell them you're with Weekend for Rivers or click here.
SPONSORS
Coosa River Basin Initiative, High Country Outfitters, Flint Riverkeeper, Broad River Watershed Association, GreenLaw, Cafe Campesino, Southern Environmental Law Center, Upper Oconee Watershed Network, OgeecheeRiverkeeper, Georgia Lakes Society
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