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Come journey with us as we explore and highlight the people and places that make the Blue Ridge and Southern Appalachian Mountains special and unique

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WNC Kayaking Group Holds Inaugural Festival To Build Community & Give Back, with Crom Carey – Co-founder of WACKO

Posted on May 31, 2022June 10, 2022 By Exploration Local
Community, Festival, Kayaking, Whitewater

The word community is, without question, central to the human experience. It conveys a sense of togetherness and positivity. Being a part of a community can make us feel as though we are a part of something greater than ourselves. And in some outdoor pursuits, community is key for a safe and enjoyable experience. That is definitely true when it comes to whitewater kayaking.

In this episode I travel down to the Green River Ranch to take part in the Inaugural GRASS Festival, and I sit down with Crom Carey, event organizer extraordinaire and one of the founding members of WACKO. What is WACKO you ask? I’m glad you did. It’s the West Asheville Canoe & Kayak Club – an organization with a huge heart for community and giving back to non-profits that serve the whitewater communities both locally and nationwide. In fact, building outdoor community is what brought Crom and I together for this episode as we reflected on the Inaugural GRASS Festival…which stands for the Green River Access Spring Shindig. We talk about community building, the festival, American Whitewater, Green River Access fund, Big Adventures factory store, Green River Ranch and future plans for WACKO.

If you’ve been looking for a whitewater community to plug into, regardless of your paddling ability, this episode is for you. But even if you’re not a whitewater paddler, I think you’ll still enjoy hearing how one local outdoor community is growing with a purpose; bringing kayakers together, and giving back in a non-profit way.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
American Whitewater
Big Adventures
Green River Access Fund
WACKO (Facebook)
wacko.official (Instagram)

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