On June 19th, a group of paddlers from across Tennessee are coming together in Erwin, Tennessee. But instead of coming for their own fun, these paddlers are traveling to Erwin to become certified as Rescue Instructors. During their class, they’ll learn how to teach fundamental skills to prevent paddling deaths and to respond to common paddling accidents. Once certified, they’ll return to their home communities across Tennessee to teach safety and rescue skills to casual paddlers and beginner whitewater boaters on class I and class II waterways.

Read more about this education initiative and the reasons behind it in this joint press release by the American Canoe Association (ACA), Nolichucky Outdoor Learning Institute (NOLI) and TSRA.