Saturday September 23rd, paddlers should prepare for the second annual River Rat Paddle Challenge. The paddling will begin at 10:00 a.m. at Bayou D'Arbonne Boat Ramp and finish outside of TRAPP'S, with the proceeds from this event to benefit Horse Assisted Therapy Services of Northeast Louisiana.
The River Rat Paddle Challenge is to paddle across 6.5 miles of the Ouachita River. Participants can use a canoe, kayak, or whatever they choose, as long as they are paddling. While some pro-paddlers will finish in an hour, the course is expected to take about two to two and a half hours on average. The race will end at TRAPP'S with a meal provided for all of the participants.
Proceeds from this event will go to help HATS of NELA. HATS is a therapeutic horsemanship program that provides equine assisted activities and therapies to persons who are "differently-abled." Money raised will allow families to keep their children involved in this important program.
The entrance fee for the challenge is $55 and includes paddler's insurance. The deadline to sign up is Friday September 22nd, before 12:00 a.m. More information and a link to sign up can be found here.