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• Annual St. Joseph River Watershed Celebration

  • When
    12 May 2023
  •  
    5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
  • Location
    Pinhook Park Community Center

  Join the Friends of the St. Joe River Association for dinner and networking at our Annual St. Joseph River Watershed Celebration at the Pinhook Park Community Center in South Bend, Indiana. This year's presentation will be:

  Pinhook and the Portage
  

  Stories of a Special Place on the St. Joseph River
  

  This year's keynote presentation will be provided by Aaron Helman, author of "An Incomplete History of St. Joseph County, Indiana". Aaron is a creative leader, writer, speaker, adventure junkie, coffee enthusiast, and novice chess player. A quick Google search will find articles he's written about teen issues, youth worker burnout, leadership, cycling, and even sabermetric analysis of the Chicago Cubs.
  

  Evening Agenda

  4:30 - 6:00 p.m. - Registration/Social Time (Beer/Wine Available)                          
  6:00 - 6:15 p.m. - Welcome/Opening Remarks
  6:15 - 6:30 p.m. - Watershed Stewardship Award Presentation
  6:30 - 7:30 p.m. - Dinner by Oak + Ash
  7:45 - 8:45 p.m. - Presentation by Aaron Helman
  8:45 - 9:00 p.m. - Questions & Final Comments
                              
  

  This year's event will follow the St. Joseph River Basin Symposium, which will be held in the afternoon at the same location. Online Registration for both events will be available soon.
  

  Contact fotsjr.outreach@gmail.com for more information

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• Monthly Board Meeting

  • When
    22 Jun 2023
  •  
    1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    Elkhart Environmental Center, Elkhart, Indiana

  Monthly meetings of the Board of Directors and Watershed Council are usually held on the fourth Thursday of the month. The June Board meeting will be held in Elkhart, Indiana, as part of an effort to have some more in-person meetings once again, post-pandemic, along with an effort by the FotSJR Board to try to hold these in-person meetings in various locations throughout the watershed.

  This month's meeting will be held at the Elkhart Environmental Center in Elkhart, Indiana:

  "The Elkhart Environmental Center is a department of the City of Elkhart located on what was once the Lusher Avenue Dump. The reclaimed site is now the largest greenspace in Elkhart on over 60 acres of wetlands, prairies, woodlands, and riparian habitat along the Elkhart River. It features walking and biking trails, a canoe/kayak launch, and shelters for public use every day, dawn to dusk, year round. New features included a paved ADA bike/pedestrian trail, solar panels, windmill, and educational signage. New projects are always in the works (and we have some exciting projects on our to-do list for 2023) so repeat visits are a must!"

  Meetings are free and open to the public. For more information, please contact us (especially for login information which must be done to be able to login to any of our virtual Monthly meetings) at fotsjr.outreach@gmail.com if you are not a member, or if you do not already receive our emails.

  June Board of Directors and Watershed Council Meeting:

  Elkhart Environmental Center

  1717 East Lusher Avenue

  Elkhart, IN 46516

  • Click here for the May 2023 Meeting Agenda - COMING SOON!!
  • Click here for the June 2023 Meeting Minutes - COMING SOON!!

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• Monthly Board Meeting

  • When
    24 Aug 2023
  •  
    1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    Conservation Park, Three Rivers, MI

  Monthly meetings of the Board of Directors and Watershed Council are usually held on the fourth Thursday of the month. The August Board meeting will be held in-person and outside, in the pavilion, at Conservation Park in Three Rivers, Michigan.   
  

  Our meetings are free and open to the public.

  [In order to attend any of our FotSJR virtual monthly meetings you must contact us for login information at fotsjr.outreach@gmail.com if you are not a member, or do not already receive our emails.]

  • Click here for the August 2023 Meeting Agenda - COMING SOON!!
    
  • Click here for the June 2023 Meeting Minutes [no meeting is planned for July 2023] - COMING SOON!!
    

  August Board of Directors and Watershed Council Meeting:

  
  

  Conservation Park

  221 South Main Street

  Three Rivers, MI 49093

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• 20th Annual St. Joe River Races

  • When
    23 Sep 2023
  • Location
    Veterans' Memorial Park - South Bend, IN

  Paddling and running races on the St. Joseph River!

  **Online Registration Opening Soon**
  

  
  

  • Biathlon (Run-Paddle Challenge) – Winners based on cumulative time between 5K run and 3‐mile paddle. Paddle may be completed solo or as a team at 10:00 AM.
  • 5K Running Race – Running course may be completed alone without participating in paddling events.
  • Solo Paddling Race – 3 mile and 7.2 mile solo paddling events for canoes or kayaks in the morning.
    
  • Team Paddling Race – 3 mile and 7.2 mile team/family paddling events for canoes or kayaks in the afternoon.
    

  
  

  Registration at Boat Launch - Parking and bathrooms are available on the north side of street by pavilion and softball diamonds. Loading and limited parking in the launch area.

  Special Recognition for "Iron People" who complete the Biathlon, 7.2 mile solo paddling race and 7.2 mile team paddling race.
  

  
  

  Schedule of Events
  7:30 AM – Registration Opens
  8:30 AM – Pre‐Race Meeting
  8:45 AM – 5K Running Race Start
  10:00 AM – 3 Mile & 7.2 Mile Solo/Biathlon Paddling Race Start*
  12:00 PM – Run‐Paddle Challenge & Individual Awards
  1:00 PM – 3 Mile & 7.2 Mile Team Paddling Race Start**
  
  Run Course Description: Race starts and finishes in Veterans' Memorial Park boat launch parking lot. Starts heading west (downstream) on river walk 1.5 miles to Howard Park footbridge turnaround.
  
  Paddling Course Description: Race starts and finishes at the Veterans' Memorial Park boat launch. All racers begin downstream to Howard Park footbridge turnaround. All racers return to boat launch for 3‐mile finish time. 7.2‐mile racers continue upstream around Kamm’s Island (counterclockwise) and return to boat launch for finish.

  2022 RESULTS AVAILABLE HERE

  2021 RESULTS AVAILABLE HERE

  2020 RESULTS AVAILABLE HERE

  2019 RESULTS AVAILABLE HERE
  

  2018 RESULTS AVAILABLE HERE

  2017 RESULTS AVAILABLE HERE
  

  2016 RESULTS AVAILABLE HERE

  2015 RESULTS AVAILABLE HERE

  2014 RESULTS AVAILABLE HERE

  2013 RESULTS AVAILABLE HERE 

  
  

  COURSE RECORDS
  
  *Solo classes include:
  Racing Canoe – C1 (USCA specs)
  Production Canoe (most other canoes)
  Open Racing Kayak – K1 (ICF and Unlimited)
  Other Racing Kayaks as necessary (USCA specs)
  Recreational Kayak (plastic, short, heavy)
  
  **Team classes include:
  4 Person Canoe or Kayak – C4, K4 (Unlimited)
  2 Person Canoe – C2 (Pro Boats/Racing Canoes)
  2 Person Rec Canoe – (aluminum and non‐racing canoes)
  Family Class – (more than 2 family members)
  
  For more information and course maps visit:

  http://tinyurl.com/StJoeRiverRaces
  
  Or contact Matt Meersman at: paddleheadz@gmail.com
  
  

  Entry fee $20 per person (covers all races)

  
  

  Proceeds benefit the Friends of the St. Joe River Association

  
  
  

  
  

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