Beaver Creek Flotilla: Building Community and So Much More
The 7th Annual Beaver Creek Kayak Club Flotilla, sponsored by First Bank, was an exceptional day of paddling, camaraderie, and community spirit. Held on Saturday, May 18th, the early morning event saw participants and spectators gather to embrace the adventure awaiting them on the picturesque Beaver Creek. The weather forecast leading up to Saturday’s flotilla appeared uncertain; however, by mid-morning, the skies had cleared, the temperature was comfortable, and just a few clouds hung overhead, providing sufficient cover for an invigorating 6.2-mile paddle.
Paddlers of all ages and skill levels converged at the starting point located at Aubrey’s Launch behind Powell High School. Their colorful kayaks and life vests created a vibrant tapestry along the creek’s edge. The event started with an enthusiastic welcome from Beaver Creek Kayak Club president, Charlie Austin, who expressed gratitude to First Bank for their third consecutive year as title sponsor. “First Bank’s sponsorship has allowed us to make the Flotilla an annual highlight for our community. It’s wonderful to see so many familiar faces in the crowd and new friends coming out for the first time to enjoy Beaver Creek.” Many paddlers raised their hands, acknowledging it was their first time participating in the Flotilla but excited to paddle the creek.
Larsen Jay, Knox County Commissioner, recognized the club for its service to the community and acknowledged Knox County Parks and Recreation for their role in Clearing, Cleaning, and Caring for Beaver Creek. To date, they have removed 2100 tons of debris from the creek, restoring its health, improving water quality, animal and plant life, reducing flooding, and providing a recreational asset for the community.
Krickett Jones was recognized as Jr. Floatmaster for the event. Krickett is a Karns High School student who excels in both academics and athletics, and who was recently awarded the 2024 RSSAA Girls State Wrestling Championship for her weight class.
Jeff Jarnigan kicked off the Flotilla as Floatmaster, announcing that it was a great day to be paddling on the creek! Jeff has served the East Tennessee community for 30 years as the announcer for the University of Tennessee Football, Basketball, and Pride of the Southland Band. He has committed his career to connecting people and was an obvious choice for this year’s Floatmaster.
Following the opening ceremony, the paddlers took to the water, their kayaks gliding smoothly across the creek’s surface. The creek is known for its serene beauty, with the surrounding trees and foliage reflecting vividly in the clear, calm waters. The gentle current ensured that both novices and seasoned kayakers could enjoy the experience without concern. As the Flotilla progressed, the true essence of the event became evident. The Flotilla wasn’t just about paddling—it was about building and strengthening friendships and fostering community. Laughter and conversation filled the air as paddlers stopped to photograph the wildlife and picturesque scenery along the way. It was a reminder of the simple joys and natural beauty the Beaver Creek area offers. As the participants reached the endpoint, the takeout was at Charlie’s Launch, on the BoardSafe Kayak Launch located at Roy Arthur Stormwater Park. There was a palpable sense of achievement and fulfillment among the participants.
Scott Tihansky of BoardSafe Docks commented, “The Flotilla is a perfect example of what the Beaver Creek Kayak Club stands for: enjoying nature, promoting wellness, building and connecting communities. This aligns directly with the benefits a BoardSafe universal access launch system provides for communities across the USA.”
The 7th Annual Beaver Creek Kayak Club’s Flotilla was more than just a day on the water; it celebrated friendship, nature, and community. As participants packed their gear and headed home, they carried memories of a perfect day and a renewed appreciation for the simple yet profound joys of life on Beaver Creek.
BoardSafe Docks is happy to support Knox County in creating water trail access along the 44-mile-long Beaver Creek. Our signature product, the adaptive kayak launch, includes accessibility features that enable paddlers with mobility challenges to access their watercraft safely and more easily. We believe accessible and adaptive kayak launches are a key infrastructure component for successful paddle trails. Paddle trails with an accessible launch provide a range of economic benefits to communities, including increased tourism, increased property value, improved recreational opportunities, and universal access to the water for all paddlers.
BoardSafe designs, fabricates, and installs adaptive fishing piers, aluminum floating docks, rowing docks, gangways, and pedestrian bridges. Contact us at BoardSafeDocks.com or call 610-899-0286 and allow us to help you design your community’s water trail. #AccessYourAdventure #AccessibleKayaking #AdaptiveKayakLaunch #UniversalAccess #WaterTrails
Accessibility Brings Canal Experience to Everyone
BoardSafe Docks was excited to participate in the NYS Canals Forum, “Accessibility on the Canalway,” at Monroe Community College, in Rochester, NY, where more than 170 people participated.
Tom Warchol of BoardSafe discussed accessible kayaking opportunities on the canal and their benefits to paddlers of all abilities. Rivertowns that invest in universal access kayak launches experience economic benefits that boost economies because scenic canals and historical waterways draw tourists. Universal access includes everyone and opens doors to outdoor recreation for people who may have been excluded from participating in the past.
The accessibility forum was open to municipal leaders, community planners, developers, and anyone interested in learning about improving access along the historic canal system. Its goal is to ensure that paddlers of all abilities have the full canal experience and ensure that paddlers with disabilities and mobility limitations can safely and easily access recreation opportunities near and on the water.
In 2025, the Erie Canal will be celebrating its 200th anniversary, and NYS is looking to support businesses and municipalities in making the historic Canal accessible to all. Read more about the forum: Celebration of 200 years on Erie Canal ensures accessible recreation for the future.
BoardSafe Docks is happy to be part of the canal’s accessibility story with our Adaptive Kayak Launch designed to include paddlers of all abilities and improve the paddling experience for all people who enjoy paddling on the canalway. To learn more about BoardSafe’s adaptive kayak launch, accessible fishing piers, and other water access products, contact BoardSafe Docks for more information at 610-899-0286.
The Fabulous Fox! River Summit Is Only 2 Days Away!
The Fox River Summit is an annual gathering of organizations, municipalities, citizens, and stakeholders across the Fox River Watershed. Building partnerships and developing an open dialog about the issues important to managing the watershed is a key component of the summit. The program features speakers and presentations highlighting these issues, and it’s also an opportunity to celebrate the success stories along the Fox River.
Tom Warchol, BoardSafe Partner, will present information on “The Value of Investing in Universal Access Kayak Launches for Paddlers with Disabilities.”
BoardSafe’s Kayak Launch provides access to adaptive paddlers and allows them to leave their wheelchairs behind and paddle with family and friends.
Wisconsin and Illinois have partnered with the National Park Service to create the Fabulous Fox! River Water Trail. A list of access sites (by community or keyword) to the water trail is available at this link: Access Sites - Fabulous Fox! Water Trail. The site offers information about the trail, maps, itineraries, and all you need to plan an amazing day on the water.
BoardSafeDocks hopes to meet you Thursday, March 14, at Veterans Terrace, Echo Park, Burlington, WI. A complete list of featured speakers and topics for the summit is listed here: 2024 Fox River Summit.
Click here to register: southeastfoxriver.org.
2 BoardSafe Docks on Knox County Water Trail on Beautiful Beaver Creek
Mayor Glenn Jacobs is proud to announce the formation and investment in formally establishing the Knox County Water Trail on beautiful Beaver Creek. This initiative is focused on clearing, cleaning, and caring for a 44-mile stretch of navigable water across five communities between Clayton Park in Halls and Melton Hill in Hardin Valley. BoardSafe Docks designed, built, and installed two Accessible Kayak Launches.
Beaver Creek ADA Accessible Drop-In Locations:
2136 W Emory Rd.
Knoxville, TN 37849
7221 Harrell Rd.
Knoxville, TN 37931
Read more about this exciting BoardSafe project: BoardSafe Accessible Kayak Launches “Huge Asset” to Beaver Creek, TN, Project
BoardSafe is a leading provider of innovative access solutions that specializes in the design, fabrication, and installation of floating docks, gangways, pedestrian bridges, adaptive kayak launches, and accessible fishing piers that promote accessibility and inclusivity for waterfront activities.
For information, inquiries, or to schedule a phone or Zoom consultation, please contact BoardSafe Docks at 610-899-0286 or through their website @ BoardSafeDocks.com.
BoardSafe Docks Presents at Fox River Summit, Burlington, WI
BoardSafeDocks invites you to join us at the 2024 Fox River Summit on Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Burlington, WI.
Tom Warchol, BoardSafe Partner, will present information on “The Value of Investing in Universal Access Kayak Launches for Paddlers with Disabilities.”
Learn how improving accessibility enhances the user experience for all.
Watch here: Adaptive Kayak Launch at Lake Chaminwood
The Mission of the Fox River Ecosystem Partnership has been to promote, preserve, protect, and enhance the natural, cultural, economic, and recreational resources of Fox River, which flows for almost 200 miles from Wisconsin into Illinois. It’s an annual gathering of organizations, municipalities, citizens, and stakeholders across the Fox River Watershed.
In 2023, the National Park Service recognized the Fabulous Fox! Water Trail as part of the National Water Trails System.
More information about the water trail is available here: The Fabulous Fox! Water Trail Website
Information and Registration are Now Open: southeastfoxriver.org
If you’re interested in learning more about water trails, mark March 14, 2024, on your calendar and join us at the Summit!
2024 Tennessee RiverLine Summit Presented by BoardSafe Docks
BoardSafe Docks is pleased to partner with the Tennessee RiverLine to support the development of North America’s next great regional trail system.
The 2024 Summit is happening now at the Lodge at Pickwick Landing in Hardin County, TN.
The interactive forum offers planning sessions, outdoor excursions, water trail workshops, accessibility awareness, and networking opportunities.
Tennessee RiverLine’s vision of a continuous water trail experience begins where the Tennessee River forms in Knoxville, TN, to its confluence with the Ohio River in Paducah, KY. It includes 652 miles of paddle trails and touches the four states of Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky. Improving accessibility to the Tennessee River is a dream for anyone who enjoys kayaking, canoeing, and spending time on the water. Their full vision is laid out in the booklet here: Tennessee RiverLine Vision Booklet.pdf
Accessible recreation by BoardSafe
The desire for accessible recreation in and by the water offers new economic opportunities, encourages ecological stewardship and conservation, draws people to the water, and promotes better health for its citizens. Kayaking, canoeing, and fishing opportunities connect people to their communities. The advantage of ensuring that entry points offer universal access ensures that paddlers with disabilities and mobility limitations can be included in activities along with family and friends. Educating others about universal access has become a significant part of BoardSafe’s Mission. Our goal is to assist others in understanding that “accessible” is not synonymous with “adaptive.” Paddlers with physical disabilities and mobility limitations require additional adaptive features to enter their kayaks and get out on the water. When BoardSafe’s Kayak Launch was designed, BoardSafe’s team collaborated with a group of paddlers in wheelchairs who provided input into the launch’s features. These meetings ensured the necessary features were not overlooked and would be developed to the extent necessary to provide the accommodations paddlers in wheelchairs require for safe entry into their vessels. Equitable access ensures all paddlers may enjoy the beauty, diversity, and history of the Tennessee River and beyond.
What makes BoardSafe unique?
BoardSafe’s unique applications for improving accessibility with their adaptive features, paired with the design integrity of their floating dock system, continue to make them the industry leader and expert in accessibility for all. Ultimately, the user experience is improved for everyone who uses their launch systems for kayaking or fishing.
BoardSafe’s manufacturing takes place in Fleetwood, PA, but as a licensed contractor in Tennessee, they have a strong presence helping to improve accessibility with their adaptive kayak launches and fishing piers. Their pedestrian bridges, gangways, and rowing docks also improve access points throughout the state.
Representing BoardSafe Docks at RiverLine’s Summit are Tom Warchol, a BoardSafe Partner, Kelly Bealls from the Business Development Team, and Bill Bogdan, an adaptive sports enthusiast who has partnered with BoardSafe to share the important message about universal access for all.
Helping non-disabled people gain a better understanding of the features required for inclusive fishing and paddling is necessary because, all too often, launches are built and deemed to be accessible when they’re not. When a paddler in a wheelchair can enter their vessel safely and with minimal assistance, their experience is life-changing. The paddling experience is improved for the adaptive paddler as well as those kayaking with them. Here is a video of Bill using BoardSafe’s Adaptive Kayak Launch independently: Adaptive Kayak Launch at Lake Chaminwood
Accessibility in the outdoors
Tennessee RiverLine is a catalyst for new investments in outdoor recreation and infrastructure that will create jobs and stimulate the economy. Successful paddle trails should ensure proper accessibility that includes features for paddlers in wheelchairs. Paddling and kayak fishing are a great part of their rehabilitation and exercise routine and it gets them out on the water with everyone else.
When accessibility is at the forefront of the design process, the paddling experience will be improved for all users. Communities investing in accessible infrastructure will benefit economically and ecologically, will improve public health, and draw more people to the water.
BoardSafe prides itself on developing a trusting and respectful relationship with our clients throughout the manufacturing process. Our team understands our products’ impact on communities and has witnessed our product designs improve lifestyles for the adaptive and recreation-loving communities we serve. We are proud of the partnerships we develop with our customers and appreciate the opportunity to develop our customers’ visions and turn them into legacies of waterfront inclusivity for generations to come. Through the power of partnerships and collaborative planning, great things are happening in Tennessee!
BoardSafe Docks is the industry leader in adaptive kayak launches and fishing piers, gangways and pedestrian bridges, rowing centers, and marinas. We specialize in design consultation, engineering, and manufacturing, and will work with you to ensure your project is accessible to the widest range of users. You may learn more about BoardSafe Dock’s projects through our website at BoardSafeDocks.com or by calling 610-899-0286.
BoardSafe Docks—Meet Us Today at the Ohio River Way Summit!
BoardSafe Docks is in Madison, Indiana today, 10/26, at the Ohio River Way Summit. The Summit is happening directly on the river at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, 108 St. Michaels Avenue, Madison, IN 47250.
We’re proud to be one of the sponsors of the Ohio River Way Summit where we’ll be joining a diverse coalition of communities and organizations to discuss how river communities can grow around outdoor recreation.
Stop by our table today and say hello to Kelly Beals from BoardSafe Docks. Kelly will be able to share the benefits to paddlers, along with economic and ecological benefits to communities who invest in a BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch and our other water access products.
BoardSafe Docks recognizes outdoor recreation has not always been inclusive. Our team is committed to offering a wide range of water accessibility products. We understand our products’ impact on communities and have witnessed how our accessibility products improve lifestyles for the adaptive and recreation-loving communities they serve. Come see us and learn how we can be part of your water access solution!
You can register for the summit here: https://www.ohioriverway.org/orw-summit
BoardSafe Docks looks forward to meeting you today in Madison!
BoardSafe Improves Economic Benefits for Communities in East Tennessee
A new project slated for East Tennessee was announced at the annual Legacy Parks Luncheon on Friday, September 29, 2023. A 20-mile river trail will be created on the French Broad River starting at Seven Islands State Birding Park and ending in Downtown Knoxville. Three accessible BoardSafe Docks kayak launches are already designed and approved and will be installed along the water trail beginning at Seven Islands, heading downriver to Cruze Landing and Asbury Landing, which will create access and exit points with 5- to 7-mile intervals. Future launches will be designed and developed until the 20-mile stretch is fully accessible and reaches downtown Knoxville. These access points will create a truly adaptive and complete paddling experience for all. The accessible water trail will be the first of its kind in the state, and stakeholders are hoping it will be the first of many.
“This project is really a partnership of TVA, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Legacy Parks, Tennessee State Parks, City of Knoxville, and Knox County. There are a lot of stakeholders involved and the planning takes a little bit of time. Everybody sort of shares the value of getting people on the river. So, it’s a great project,” said Carol Evans, Executive Director of the Legacy Parks Foundation.
Hospitality and heritage bring hundreds of thousands of tourists to the Tennessee River and its tributaries each summer. People are attracted to the region for its different activities: biking, paddling, camping, hiking, sightseeing, and enjoying its history. As a result of this foundation’s efforts, visitors hindered by age, experience, mobility, or disability will be able to paddle down the river. The Legacy Parks Foundation ensures all people, including those with physical disabilities, are welcome to participate and have access to East Tennessee’s river and recreational sites. Legacy Park's creative plan will offer accessibility to all who visit the water trails and their surrounding parks. Accessible water trails will improve the quality of life for residents and those who visit the great state of Tennessee.
Paddling events build inclusive communities and improve quality of life
As the corridor strives to better accommodate all visitors, many local leaders have recognized the popularity of paddling and the need to provide safe and convenient access into and out of the water. BoardSafe Docks manufactures a well-known inclusive adaptive kayak launch that allows people in wheelchairs to safely transition into their kayak and out on the water. The launch system has been designed and engineered with specific adaptive features to improve the paddling experience for all users and ensure that family and friends can paddle together.
According to a report published by Statista Research Department, from 2010–2021, kayaking participation in the United States grew by 87.3 percent. Nearly 18.6 million Americans went kayaking at least once in 2021.
Until recently, no one fully understood the economic benefits of investing in and improving water access sites. However, we are now learning more about the economic, recreational, and environmental impacts.
The Outdoor Recreation Economy Report identifies outdoor recreation as one of our nation's largest economic sectors. According to this report, outdoor recreation generates $887 billion in consumer spending annually, 7.6 million American jobs, $65.3 billion in federal tax revenue, and $59.2 billion in state and local tax revenue.
Benefits of creating more access points to our rivers
The planning and creation of water access points accessible to all provide a wide range of benefits to local communities. Why? Because people of all abilities are hooked on paddle sports. When you step into a kayak and take those first few paddle strokes, nature surrounds you. It’s easy to understand how nature’s draw pulls people to the water.
Paddling and kayak fishing have become everyone’s favorite hobbies and sought-after forms of outdoor recreation. Kayaking is an inclusive activity that offers adaptive paddlers the opportunity to be out on the water like everyone else.
The economic impact of parks and rivers
Parks and rivers have become powerful economic drivers for communities. Policymakers, elected officials, and parks and recreation professionals have noticed and understand how investments made in local and regional parks are improving the standard of living for their communities. The positive impact of parks on Tennessee’s economy is shown in a research study completed by the National Recreation and Parks Association.
Inclusive waterways encourage economic renewal
Three out of every four Americans participate in outdoor recreation each year, and paddlesports are among the fastest-growing segments of the industry. Legacy Parks’ planning for accessible recreation is positively impacting visitation along East Tennessee’s waterways, bringing along opportunities for economic renewal and growth.
Tourism and paddling on the Tennessee River
Tennessee is one of the top travel destinations in the U.S. because of its tremendous assets; scenic beauty, diverse cities and small towns, world-class attractions, music, culture, and history. A report prepared by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development indicates that in 2021, Tennessee experienced record levels of tourism growth.
Tennessee Tourism Outperforms the Nation With Record $24 Billion in Domestic Travel Spending in 2021 Key information for the Department of Tourism can be broken down by county and viewed here: Interactive Data | Tennessee Vacation Industry.
Accessible to all BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launches on the French Broad River
There is a host of benefits that come from launching more paddling options in our communities. Increases in property values, tourism, and recreation-related spending are just a few ways that inclusive water trails positively affect communities and the local economy. Paddling also encourages good stewardship of parks, natural resources, and riverside land. Enjoyment and protection of our waterways are valuable investments for our communities and their future, making East Tennessee a great place to live, work, and visit.
Whether paddling, tubing, casting a line, or sitting along the riverbanks watching the birds, a day on the river is good for everyone and is welcoming and life-changing when the trails offer accessibility. Supporting Legacy Parks’ efforts helps preserve the past, enrich the present, and provide a precious gift for future generations to enjoy. It allows the Legacy Parks Foundation to continue to make an impact by providing accessibility to all. To learn more about The Legacy Parks Foundation, their projects, and what they’ve contributed to Knox County and surrounding communities, visit their website: About Us - Legacy Parks Foundation.
There are many ways to support Legacy Parks in their efforts to preserve natural resources and connect communities in East Tennessee. To become a friend and talk about planned giving or providing gifts of land or trail easements, click here: How to Help - Legacy Parks Foundation.
BoardSafe Docks understands the impact accessible water trails offer to their users and their communities. To discuss your project’s vision and learn more about BoardSafe Docks, our Adaptive Kayak Launch and Fishing Pier, its durable construction, and the long-term value it will bring to your community, please call us at 610-899-0286 or contact us through our website at BoardSafeDocks.com.
BoardSafe Docks Provides Paddle Access for Legacy Parks Luncheon
BoardSafe Docks is pleased to provide two accessible kayak launches in advance of the Legacy Parks Luncheon for the Parks on September 29th at Seven Islands State Birding Park. Legacy Parks Foundation is an East Tennessee nonprofit organization working to ensure that their community enjoys exceptional recreational opportunities, natural beauty, and open spaces. They work collaboratively with local stakeholders to promote healthy living, connect friends and families with nature, and provide access to Knox County’s parks and rivers. Value is added to communities when providing close-to-home recreation that is accessible to all.
Below is a rendering of the BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak, Canoe, and Boat Launch planned for Seven Islands State Birding Park where the fundraiser will be hosted.
While accessibility projects can be eligible for grant funding and support from local government agencies, community support and financial gifts from donors also play a significant role and are necessary to bring these worthy projects to fruition. The Legacy Parks Luncheon for the Park is their biggest fundraising effort of the year.
An additional BoardSafe Kayak Launch and takeout to be recognized at the luncheon will be installed about 5 miles downriver at Cruze Landing.
The popularity of kayaking is on the rise
According to a report published by the Statista Research Department, nearly 18.6 million Americans went kayaking at least once in 2021, demonstrating an increase in the popularity of paddlesports. In the period 2010–2021, kayaking participation in the United States grew by 87.3 percent. Paddling is an activity that almost everyone can participate in—young and old, novice and experienced, and people with mobility limitations. It’s easy to understand why people are getting hooked on paddle sports.
Kayaking, canoeing, and all paddlesports are truly inclusive recreational activities when launch sites include adaptive features like an ADA gangway, kayak chute, boarding bench, hand straps, and grab bars.
The most significant difficulty reported by almost all paddlers is getting in and out of their vessels. Upon entry, kayaks and canoes can tip, shift, or roll over. Adaptive features can ensure safe access in and out of the water. It’s encouraging to see leaders and planners striving to create a more inclusive society. They understand the importance of inclusive outdoor recreation. As recreation stakeholders, we all share responsibility for shaping the future of our country’s outdoor spaces and inclusive lifestyle and improving the quality of life for all. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) fact sheet on Disability, an estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disabilities. This represents 16% of the world’s population or 1 in 6 people.
According to the CDC Disability Impacts All of Us Infographic, 11.1 percent of U.S. adults have a mobility disability with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
The value of an accessible and adaptive kayak launch
An accessible kayak launch with adaptive features can benefit everyone and offer accessibility to all, including older adults, people with mobility impairments, and people with temporary injuries or permanent conditions.
Ask any adaptive kayaker about their enjoyment, liberation, and empowerment after completing a paddle. Many will tell you they cannot wait to return to the water!
There are many ways to support the Legacy Parks Foundation through the Head of the Tennessee Initiative. Readers are encouraged to become a friend, learn more about their initiatives, or talk about planned giving by providing gifts of land or trail easements, or donations to support their cause. For more information, visit here: How to Help - Legacy Parks Foundation.
BoardSafe is a leading national manufacturer of high-quality aluminum-welded water access products: adaptive kayak launches, fishing piers, marinas, rowing centers, gangways, and pedestrian bridges. Whatever type of access your project needs, BoardSafe Docks will provide turn-key service, from product design and inception through delivery.
BoardSafe’s sales team is available for questions and consultation and will assist you with improving your water access site. You can learn more about BoardSafe Docks’ projects at our website, BoardSafeDocks.com, or by calling 610-899-0286.
BoardSafe Docks Assists Legacy Parks for Annual Luncheon for the Parks
Legacy Parks Foundation is making final preparations for its annual Luncheon for the Parks on September 29, 2023, from 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. at Seven Islands State Birding Park. The luncheon raises funds to conserve natural resources, create public places for recreation, and connect Tennessee communities. Through the generous support of donors, incredible open spaces are shaping into attractive recreational sites throughout the Knox County region. BoardSafe Docks provides water access products for Legacy Parks throughout East Tennessee by designing and manufacturing Adaptive Kayak Launches, Fishing Piers, Floating Docks, Gangways, and Pedestrian Bridges.
The guest speaker at this year’s sold-out luncheon is Chuck Leavell, who has been pleasing the ears of music fans for more than 40 years. His piano and keyboard skills have been part of The Allman Brothers Band, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, The Black Crowes, Blues Traveler, Train, George Harrison, The Indigo Girls, Montgomery-Gentry, and many more. Watch his impressive documentary here: Chuck Leavell: The Tree Man (1080p) FULL MOVIE …
In addition to his brilliance in the music arena, Leavell is also a respected authority on conservation and forestry. He is a published author, co-founder of The Mother Nature Network, and host of the PBS series, “America's Forests.” In 2019, he and his wife, Rose Lane, were recognized as National Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year.
His mission shares an important message about caring for and saving our forests.
Head of the Tennessee Initiative creates accessibility for all
Starting at the Seven Islands State Birding Park location, Legacy Parks, in collaboration with Knox County, TVA, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee State Parks, UT Research Park, and BoardSafe Docks, is working to create inclusive access to East Tennessee’s waterways. Together, they share the vision to expand access points along the 25-mile water trail between Seven Islands State Park and UT Research Park, and create recreational sites that are accessible to all.
Features of the Tennessee Rivers
The French Broad and Holston Rivers confluence at Knoxville to form the beginning of the Tennessee River. They are tremendous natural assets with exceptional recreational potential for Knox County and surrounding communities.
The French Broad River
The French Broad River is believed to be one of the oldest rivers in the world based on the dating of rocks examined along its riverbanks. Locally, it offers a variety of recreation opportunities, including tubing, paddleboarding, kayaking, and fishing. Its tributaries are ideal habitats for several trout species, bass, bluegill, crappie, and the eastern spiny softshell turtle.
The Holston River
The picturesque Holston River begins in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and runs for 274 miles through Virginia into Tennessee. The part of the river below Cherokee Dam is possibly the most scenic water trail in the Tennessee Valley. Paddlers enjoy this panoramic paddle as it winds its way into the Tennessee River at Knoxville.
Between 1940 and 1950, the Tennessee Valley Authority built four dams on the Holston to provide electricity and control flooding. Today, the river is the most critical source of drinking water for communities south of the river and a place for fishing and recreation.
The Importance of paddle access for all
Paddling and exploring the water bring people and nature together for a blend of relaxation and good physical fun. They bring families and friends together, connect people with nature, and most importantly, promote exercise and wellness. There are so many reasons propelling around the water is attractive. When you step into a kayak, push off into a canal or river, and take those first few paddle strokes, nature surrounds you at every level. People are getting hooked on paddle sports. Paddling is an activity that almost everyone can participate in—young and old, novice and experienced, and people with mobility limitations.
Kayaking has become increasingly popular for paddlers with physical disabilities, amputees, and those with paralysis. It offers rehabilitation, exercise, and socialization. Most importantly, kayaking allows adaptive paddlers to be out on the water like everyone else. They describe the freedom of leaving their wheelchairs and transitioning into a kayak as “liberating.”
According to the Disability & Health U.S. State Profile Data from the CDC, 15% of adults in Tennessee experience a mobility disability. Nationally, one out of four people lives with a disability, limiting their options for recreation and play.
Ensuring that water access points are inclusive and accessible to all encourages more people to participate in outdoor activities on the water. Disability transcends all ages, political persuasions, races, incomes, titles, and degrees. It impacts everyone, and yet, there is still work to be done to ensure that everyone feels welcome and included. The Legacy Parks Foundation invites everyone to be part of the solution to change things that have kept people with disabilities and physical limitations from participating and enjoying the water. Our Work—Legacy Parks Foundation shows the results of and improvements from the combined efforts of many stakeholders, yet there is so much more they can accomplish.
Financial gifts play an important role in supporting programs that offer accessibility to all, improve parks, and allow people with disabilities and mobility limitations to be active in their communities and feel welcome to participate with families and friends.
There are many ways to support the Legacy Parks Foundation and the Head of the Tennessee Initiative. To become a friend, read more about their initiatives, or talk about planned giving or providing gifts of land or trail easements, head over to How to Help—Legacy Parks Foundation.
BoardSafe Docks is honored to partner with the Legacy Parks Foundation and be a Platinum Sponsor for their upcoming Luncheon for the Parks. BoardSafe’s Accessible and Adaptive Kayak Launch provides paddlers the ability to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle they’re looking for—safely, easily, and responsibly. They understand the value their accessibility products bring to communities and to the people using them. BoardSafe’s aluminum floating docks, fishing piers, and boat launches are easy to install and will look amazing for many years to come.
Contact BoardSafe Docks at 610-899-0286 to learn more about the most durable and accessible aluminum floating launch options for any location. Our team will help you find the ideal solution to meet your water access needs.