June 2016

June 7, 2016 by tglidewell /

Join us and celebrate charitable giving at

Topeka Gives!

The Topeka Community Foundation will provide $73,500.00 in “match” money for contributions made to support 158 different nonprofit organizations in the community, including our own Friends of the Kaw! This is a kid-friendly, hands-on event with activities for all.

Event date: Tuesday, June 7^rd, 2016

Time: 7am – 6pm

Place: Inside Fairlawn Plaza Mall – 21^st St & Fairlawn

For additional information, contact the Topeka Community Foundation at 785-272-4804

Stop by and see us!

South Steps on Friday!

Come by and see us at the Kansas State Capitol on Friday, June 10th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

We need volunteers like YOU for our Paddle Experiences with the

Boys & Girls Club!

Freedom Frontier Paddling Experiences with Boys & Girls Club:

These are paddling experiences that we do with the Boys & Girls Club. We have 3 stations where the kids rotate. One is to seine for macros, do freddie the fish activity, and then paddle in the canoes/kayaks. For all dates we need some paddlers. In this role you will be in a canoe or kayak with a young person and teach them how to boat around the lake. We will need 4-5 helpers at each event. Let me know if you can help with any of these great events! For all events, Dawn, Laura & Kate will be there. Thanks!

Thursday, June 9 – Topeka Group (10:00 am to 1:30 pm) – Reserve Shelter 1 at Lake Shawnee

Thursday, June 16 – Topeka Group (10:00 am to 1:30 pm) – Reserve Shelter 1 at Lake Shawnee

Tuesday, June 28 – KCMO Group (10:00 am to 1:30 pm) – shelter by the boat ramp at Lake Lenexa

Wednesday, June 29 – Lawrence Group (1:00 pm to 3:00 pm) – shelter by the boat ramp at Lake Lenexa

Tuesday, July 12 – Independence Group (10:00 am to 1:30 pm) – shelter by the boat ramp at Lake Lenexa

Tuesday, July 19 – Independence Group (10:00 am to 1:30 pm) – shelter by the boat ramp at Lake Lenexa

Wednesday, July 20 – Manhattan Group (10:00 am to 1:30 pm) – Reserve Shelter 1 at Lake Shawnee

Tuesday, July 26 – KCK Group (10:00 am to 1:30 pm) – Beach Shelter at Wy Co Lake

Wednesday, July 27 – Olathe Group (10:00 am to 1:30 pm) – shelter by the boat ramp at Lake Lenexa

RSVP to the Riverkeeper at 785.312.7200 or email: riverkeeper@kansasriver.org!

FOK Receives Grants and Last Wild Places of Kansas Book

June 7, 2016 by tglidewell /

We have been awarded several grants this spring….we are going to be busy!

Mid America Regional Council – $,1778 to initiate our Adopt-A-Boat Ramp Program in Wyandotte County.

Unified Government of Wyandotte County – $5,000 for stormwater education in Wyandotte County.

Douglas County Natural and Cultural Heritage Grant – $13,230 to Cleanup, Restore and Fish the Kaw in Douglas County

REI, Seattle, WA – $5,000 for Kansas River cleanups.

Thank you to all of these great organizations for the opportunities to take care of our Kansas River and educate!

Did you see that George Frazier’s new book is out? “The Last Wild Places of Kansas”….get your copy today! Lots of great information on Kansas outdoor adventures, including the Kansas River!

The Last Wild Places of Kansas is the first book since Dave Murphy’s Paddling Kansas to take a deep look into issues related to the rivers of Kansas. The book tells the almost scandalous story of the Meek vs. Hayes supreme court case which led to the strange situation where almost every Kansas river – except the Kansas, Missouri, and Arkansas rivers and certain short stream segments above public reservoirs – are “renegade streams.” To legally float these streams, you need to get permission from every landowner on both sides for your entire float (in the book the author tries to do just that on the upper Marais de Cygnes). Luckily, our state’s riparian jewel, the Kaw, isn’t blacklisted. The book chronicles a float of the upper Kaw during the flood of 2009 to retrace the footsteps of eccentric French explorer Etienne de Veniard Sieur de Bourgmont deep into the homeland of the Kansa tribe in 1724. It also tracks the resurgence of the Kaw in the last 20 years, including interviews with former river keeper Laura Calwell, legendary Kansas paddler T.J. Hittle, and many others.