About Rapids Riders
Our Mission
Rapids Riders Whitewater Canoe and Kayak Club, Inc. is a Minnesota based, educational 501(c)(3) non profit organization. We seek to educate the public and promote the responsible enjoyment of whitewater paddling by providing American Canoe Association (ACA) certified instruction; work with local agencies and private concerns to promote river stewardship; and strive to ensure the future of whitewater paddle sports in the upper Midwest.
Who we are
Rapids Riders is 100% volunteer operated; we have no paid staff and all revenue generated from our events is used for instructor certification, event-venue booking, and basic operating costs like website fees, etc. Each year we donate a portion of our revenue to various river-based organizations and events that are in line with our mission statement. We will gladly accept your tax-deductible charitable donation as well.
Our volunteers donate their time, effort, and resources because we love paddling rivers and want others to feel the same way; we recognize that river paddling can have significant barriers-to-entry, and providing certified instruction to the public helps alleviate that. Rapids Riders has no "club dues" or official membership roster beyond our board-of-directors. Our events are open to the public assuming you meet the minimum eligibility criteria to safely participate.
Our organization is governed by a self-elected board of directors. There is much overlap between our instructors and board members but they are not mutually excusive. Our annual elections take place in November and are posted to our Events page. If you are interested in becoming a event volunteer, instructor, or serving as a board of directors we'd love to hear from you!
Our History
Rapids Riders started as a sub-chapter of the Minnesota Canoe Association (MCA) in the early 1980s that offered courses in whitewater canoeing. Over several years the event was renamed and developed into ”CanoeU”. Not long after, kayak instruction was also added to the line-up.
Instruction took place on many of the same rivers we use today including: the Kettle River, the Saint Croix River, the Mississippi River, the Snake River, and the Bois Brule River.
While boat and gear styles have changed dramatically in the last 30 years, Rapids Riders love for teaching river paddling has remained a constant: we have taught 100s of people how to canoe or kayak rivers and plan to do-so for many more!