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TJP
Aug-03-2011 02:22
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Do you remember the 'Great Willamette River Raft Race'?
Tim King Salem-News.comEvent from the old days revived on the Salem riverfront.
 Visit http://gwrrr.net online to register & learn more; Salem's TV station is looking for video and photos of past events, contact KWVT's Ken Lewetag at Ken@KWVTSalem.com if you can help. |
(SALEM, Ore.) - The Exchange Club of Salem/Keizer and a local TV broadcaster will revive a fun summer activity on the Willamette River called The Great Willamette River Raft Race in less than two weeks, and Ken Lewetag of Salem TV station KWVT ch. 17.1 & 27.1, is hoping people in the area have photos, video or movie footage of the event when it used to take place here.
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As KWVT's General Manager, Lewetag says the station will cover the event's revival and he says it really is a lot of fun to see this happen, "The Willamette River is so historic for this area, and events that remind people of this beautiful waterway's existence are very important".
It's hard to argue his point about a fun river event being good for Salem, the city has a limited number of similar events. One successful river event in recent years, the Dragon Boat races, (which I covered one year from a water's eye point of view), have been extremely popular.
Anyone who has images or video or movie film footage of the previous Great Willamette River Raft Races can visit the Website http://gwrrr.net/ and let them know what you may have, and you can also email Ken Lewetag directly at this address: Ken@KWVTSalem.com
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The Exchange Club reminds those planning to participate and attend, that all state and local laws apply. You need to know your responsibilities on the water. Life jackets, a whistle or horn, etc., are your responsibility.
They encourage safe, legal behavior, and, as their Web page says, they want everyone to have a safe and fun time:
"So why not revive it and make a summer time event the whole family can enjoy? When is the last time you got out on the river and just laid on a raft? Or watched the fish jump up catching their lunch? It's all there waiting for you. So lets do it!"
Again, if you have media of past events, please contact Ken, the email for John Strauch and Harold Wood with the Exchange Club, are also listed below.
It happens Saturday, August 13, 2011, they will announce instruct participants when to enter the water.
Participants will meet at Riverview Park in Independence, and the entry fee is low, only $5 per person.
Organizers said: "We will register your 'time leaving the park' and we will keep track of that time as you mosey on down to Wallace Marine Park in Salem. A shuttle van will be available to transport folks if its needed. If you have any questions, please email one of us...
Harold Wood: hwtch1@integraonline.com John Strauch: mailto:john@nwctv.com Ken Lewetag: Ken@KWVTSalem.com
Sounds pretty reasonable, doesn't it? The Salem-News.com water news jet ski unit will be deployed to the Willamette to cover this special event with our waterborne Photojournalist Jerry Freeman behind the camera and the controls. Please support this excellent idea that will by the way, include a river cleanup so the participants leave the waterway in a more pristine state than before their event.
_________________________________________________________Tim King: Salem-News.com Editor and Writer Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines. Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Silver Spoke Award by the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (2011), Excellence in Journalism Award by the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs (2010), Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), First-place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Tim has several years of experience in network affiliate news TV stations, having worked as a reporter and photographer at NBC, ABC and FOX stations in Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. Tim was a member of the National Press Photographer's Association for several years and is a current member of the Orange County Press Club. Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. As News Editor, Tim among other things, is responsible for publishing the original content of 82 Salem-News.com writers. He reminds viewers that emails are easily missed and urges those trying to reach him, to please send a second email if the first goes unanswered. You can write to Tim at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com
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Ken August 16, 2011 4:29 pm (Pacific time)
I have to tell you all had a great time laughter was heard from 1/2 mile away. Everyone at the finish line said the same thing "it was great" four grad's from West Salem said they will make this a thing they do every year when they come back from school to "reconnect" with each other during the summer.
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