Cultivating acts of community recreation:

In skipping ahead - This past weekend May 5-7 witnessed the 61st year offering of the Rushton Memorial Races - Canton Canoe Weekend. Can you imagine? 61 years of dipping paddles in organized paddlesport racing in one of the greatest rivers in the world! Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly they say…..the finish line always crossed with those willing and determined. Some in attendance on the weekend, noted individuals there in the earliest beginning! Perhaps no longer fountains of youth, but certainly springs of inspiration without doubt. The course, the boats, the technology and most everyone’s training have changed, but the generational experience always the near same. I recall in memory experiencing as a youth from Miner Street bridge with Mom and Dad, the thrills of boats swiftly coming down the section of rapids there (quite a gathering place for the community to watch from then….more than a few paddling weekend warriors getting swamped in the heavy spring, whitewater flows just before reaching the old finish line downtown). Much of those years still offered in present day reminisce to old 8mm video collection thanks to the parent’s own efforts to historic preservation of their community happenings. Certainly teaching us kids the importance of such in having fun opportunity to neat look back now. Happy also to have experienced a few entered races over the years myself. Including this year in sentimental pride with my Dad’s historic ‘Bart Hathaway’ 1974 built, 10 ½ foot, 18lb. fiberglass pack canoe based in original design to J. Henry Rushton’s own like crafted creation. A humbling self-aging honor in historic relation to so many these wonderful characters from times past in aimed dedication to the love they had for the paddlesport life. A hunched over 59 year North Country native paddling in a nimble 50 year old beautifully handcrafted boat in celebration to a wonderfully charismatic 61 year old race event. Who’d a thought it?!

This year’s Rushton Memorial events with combined near couple hundred paddlers from all over the planet earth, besides our most enchanting locals, included participants from across NY State and away yet to at least ten other states and a couple Canadian provinces. The Canton based St. Lawrence Valley Paddlers group led another beautifully promoted and executed weekend of fun and competition. Thanks so much to that entire group of wonderful neighbor folks for the privileged offered. Without wanting to insult anyone in potentially leaving specific names out in thy own’s common ignorance, and knowingly sensing you folks work best as a team to this event, I instead offer that the whole of you are respectfully acknowledged to “best thanks” in your active volunteering efforts to bring such great events like Rushton to life year after year. It may not always be spoken of such publicly, but know it is always humbly felt by the many of us you kindly serve.

Final contributing thanks to all the generously funding sponsors of both the Maple Runs and Rushton boat races, to the hometown St. Lawrence Plaindealer for some sweet press coverage to both events, and in quiet opportunity if I could, to rectify some poor manners in not acknowledging such as a neighbor previously – simple thanks in kind ovation to Canton’s Mark McKenna for initiating (and far beyond) efforts to the entire adaptive kayak/canoe launch of 2022 now a center piece of Taylor Park overall, and the Rushton Memorial Race Weekend seemingly in particular (it was a beautiful thing to see its numerous safe and practical uses on event days by so many grateful users).

Next up – Summer Sunset 5k on June 13 followed by the ever enchanting, Morley Library Association 50k Bike for Books event June 17th. Happy trails until then.

Dan Dominie (not the outlaw one)

Canton, NY