Joe Gamble
New Member
Greetings everyone!
I'm trying to put the word out to members in the greater Midwest area, outside the Great Rivers Chapter who might be interested in participating in a parade of wooden boats in downtown Chicago, August 24 this year. I was approached as chapter head yesterday by the DuSable Heritage Association who are putting together the event to commemorate the early settler and founder of the city, fur trader Jean Baptiste Point du Sable. Since the early history of the city centers around its status as a Portage route, the event organizers would like to see a small flotilla of canoes to come up river bringing the wreath to be laid at his statue downtown. I've promised my two boats but would like to see if we could get a few others. They would especially like a traditional birch bark if anyone is willing to bring theirs and join in.
The event starts with the wreath laying at 11:00 and is followed by a walking lecture along the river from 12:00 to 1:00.
The best place to launch is approximately 1 mile north of the downtown at a free REI dock at Goose Island. From there we would paddle the mile down the North Branch into the main stem of the Chicago River and drop off the wreath at Michigan Avenue.
This event is meant to promote early history of the canoe trade as well as the efforts to maintain a clean Chicago River.
If you would be interested please reply or send me an e-mail at joe.gamble423@gmail.com and let me know.
I'm trying to put the word out to members in the greater Midwest area, outside the Great Rivers Chapter who might be interested in participating in a parade of wooden boats in downtown Chicago, August 24 this year. I was approached as chapter head yesterday by the DuSable Heritage Association who are putting together the event to commemorate the early settler and founder of the city, fur trader Jean Baptiste Point du Sable. Since the early history of the city centers around its status as a Portage route, the event organizers would like to see a small flotilla of canoes to come up river bringing the wreath to be laid at his statue downtown. I've promised my two boats but would like to see if we could get a few others. They would especially like a traditional birch bark if anyone is willing to bring theirs and join in.
The event starts with the wreath laying at 11:00 and is followed by a walking lecture along the river from 12:00 to 1:00.
The best place to launch is approximately 1 mile north of the downtown at a free REI dock at Goose Island. From there we would paddle the mile down the North Branch into the main stem of the Chicago River and drop off the wreath at Michigan Avenue.
This event is meant to promote early history of the canoe trade as well as the efforts to maintain a clean Chicago River.
If you would be interested please reply or send me an e-mail at joe.gamble423@gmail.com and let me know.
