PORTLAND, Ore. — A small group of volunteers are paddling up Oregon's Willamette River in an effort to raise $187,000.
"A thousand dollars for each mile," said Heather King of Willamette Riverkeeper.
Each year, the nonprofit hosts a large paddling fundraiser event. This year with the COVID-19 pandemic in mind, organizers shifted to a smaller group of volunteers.
"Covered close to 30 miles," Travis Williams explained to Facebook live viewers on Saturday evening.
Williams has been executive director of Willamette Riverkeeper for about 20 years. He calls this year's trip, '187 miles of wonder.'
"To connect people with the river, so they can see it and experience it," Williams said. "And learn about its issues and its needs, but appreciate what's there."
The group departed from Eugene on Saturday. Over the course of eight to ten days, paddlers plan to reach Portland.
Some members of the group are in their 70s and 80s.
"It's definitely a dedicated group," Williams said. "But I think the cool thing about what they're doing is showing, 'Hey, I'm 80 years old, I'm 77 years old, and I can go out there and have a blast."
Willamette Riverkeeper is a conservation organization. It has helped develop maps and guides for people to better enjoy access to the river, with the goal of fostering stronger environmental stewardship.
"Healthy habitat along the river and its tributaries," Williams said. "We still have pollution in some areas."
Each day of the trip, Williams livestreams updates on Facebook from public campsites along the river.
He said paddlers along the way are welcome to join the group's journey by following those updates and meeting at designated locations each day.
Willamette Riverkeeper released a tentative schedule, subject to change based on conditions:
- August 8 - Eugene, Whitley Landing to Harkens Lake
- August 9 - Harkens to Corvallis Area
- August 10 - Corvallis area to Santiam Confluence area
- August 11 - Santiam Confluence to Upstream of Salem
- August 12 - Upstream of Salem to Wheatland
- August 13 - Wheatland to Sanctuary
- August 14 - Sanctuary to Ash Island
- August 15 - Ash Island to West Linn
- August 16 - West Linn to the Columbia River
"There's a lot to be explored," Williams said.