On Wednesday, December 28, 1994 at 12:28:19 PM UTC-5, Cats Paw Adventures wrote:
> (Tim Walker) wrote:
>
>
> >
> >
> >Wouldn't it be great if someone sent me a cool racing
> >kayak and enough money to live for a year to train and
> >paid for my entry fee into the Finlandia
> >challenge.....JUST to see a middle age overweight
> >family man *DO IT*....
>
> In an interesting note:
>
> The Canadian organization ORCA (Ontario recreational Canoeing
> Association) has decided "... that further association with the
> Finlandia Clean Water Challenge (FCWC) was inappropriate for an
> organization who has as its mandate the promotion of
> SAFE,COMPETENT and KNOWLEDGABLE recreational paddling in
> Ontario... the ORCA Board concluded that it could not continue
> to support the FCWC in that doing so gave a mixed message to
> the paddling public on this crucial issue."
>
> My company was a sponsor during the 1994 FCWC, offering guided
> trips to the winners of a raffle in the hopes that by drawing
> more support for the FCWC, it would be possible to increase the
> amount of money raised. In fact, the FCWC run by ORCA and Canoe
> Ontario (CO) raised $30,000 (almost 3 times the amount of the
> year previous) for distribution to non-profit environmental
> organizations in Ontario due to the efforts by ORCA and CO and
> the generous donations by the corporate sponsors. This is now
> history and one wonders what will happen to the Fund.
>
> It is my opinion that by aligining with Finlandia Vodka, ORCA
> and CO have the golden opportunity to promote EXACTLY what they
> preach in that the vast majority of accidents on the waterways
> involve alcohol. There is a place for paddling and a place for
> drinking and I believe that if an organization's mandate is to
> encourage "SAFE,COMPETENT and KNOWLEDGABLE recreational
> paddling" then this crucial issue must be addressed
> responsibly. But in a knee-jerk reaction typical of the Board,
> they have shirked this responsibility in order to avoid
> controversy and public debate as well as not being seen
> supporting commercial ventures, as the vast majority of their
> funding is from the government.
>
> Christopher Hall
> Director
> Cats Paw Adventures
> 39 Queen Victoria St.
> Toronto, Ontario
> Canada M4J 1G1
> Ph: 416-469-4980 Fax: 416-469-8274
> Internet:
My brother Joe Weight was one of the first challangers in that 1994 challange. He ranked really well and loved every minute of this adventure. He has continued to raise money to help keep our waterways clean and help our environment. Joe has recently been severly injured and needs extensive therapy in order to walk again. I have set up an account to help raise money for his recovery. JOE W. http://www.gofundme.com/vgjtxg . I would like this message to get to the Finlandia Company and anyone who knew him and did this challange with him for help raising money for his recovery. Please click on the link I provided for more information.