There might be fewer gals on the Green this Aug. 22 than years past, but that doesn’t mean you won’t see or hear them roar.
With COVID-19 forcing the cancellation of the usual Green River Takeover event, organizers are still rallying women to the water.
“Unfortunately due to the COVID19 pandemic, we made the difficult decision to cancel the in-person Takeover event this year,” says organizer Laura Farrell. “But we still have lots of great things planned — we decided that since we can’t safely all takeover the Green River together, we should just takeover them all.”
So on Aug 22, 2020, Farrell and other organizers aretrying to get as many women as possible across the world to get out and paddle their local run with their best girlfriends, in safe social distancing appropriate numbers.
The Green River Takeover first started in 2014 with the idea of trying to get as many women as they could out on the Green River at one time to have a day where the ladies “takeover” the river. That year 52 women joined in on the Upper and 24 on the Narrows. By 2019, thatnumber har climbed to 98 gals on the Upper and 33 on the Narrows, in the process raising $7,200 for the Shannon Christy and Live Like Maria Memorial Funds
“It has grown in numbers over the years and has become a very special day where 90-plus women get to go kayaking together,” says Farrell.
This year’s event will include a virtual raffle (with lots of great prizes, including two new Dagger kayaks), which also raises money for the Live Like Maria and Shannon Christy Memorial Funds. It will also include a virtual presentation by Darcy Gaechter, the first woman to paddle the Amazon River from Source to Sea and the author of “Amazon Woman,”her memoir of the experience.
Female paddlers across the country are already planning on rallying groups of women to join in.
“We’ll probably get 20 or 30 paddlers together on the Potomac,” says supporter Risa Shimoda.
Farrell is hoping the word spreads.
“I am going to need everyone’s help in spreading the word so we can make this a truly worldwide event,” she says. “I am going to request video footage from the everyone’s day so we can put it together for a special Green River Takeover video- international edition. Please share the event with all your lady friends around the world.”
Check out the 2020 Event Details page on this site or the Facebook Event page for more information. Please register in advance for the virtual event.
Schedule of the Day (times are approximate):
8am-4:00pm: Global Women’s Paddling Event taking place on your local river with your best girlfriends! Dont forget to submit your footagefrom the day!
4:30-5:00pm: First round of raffle, including four signed copies of Darcy’s Amazon Woman book!
5:00-6:00pm: Presentation by Darcy Gaechter, first woman to paddle the Amazon from source to sea!
6:00-7:00pm: Second round of raffle, including grand prizes of two Dagger Kayaks!
Watch Video Here!