Members Only Raffle for a Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 ($920 value!)

Win Me!

Have you been wanting a kayak? You can participate in a “Members Only” Raffle for a Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120  sit-on-top kayak (value of $920 donated by Sunflower Outdoors & the Friends of the Kaw Board)!  If you aren’t a Friends of the Kaw member you can join for $15 and then buy as many $10 raffle tickets as you want. The raffle will be held in conjunction with the Wild & Scenic Film Festival – the drawing will take place at the finale of the Liberty Hall event. You DO NOT have to be present to win!  Buy your tickets at the Topeka Green Fair or at either film festival.

Film Festival Information

Thursday, April 30 at 7:30pm at the Glenwood Arts Theatre at Ranchmart Shopping Center at 95^th & Mission Road

Friday, May 1 at 7:00pm at Liberty Hall in Lawrence at 644 Massachusetts

Adult Tickets $10 in advance or $12 at the door (suggested donation)

Tickets available at the box offices or online!  Click here for more information!

Thanks to our event sponsors:  Westar Green Team, Country Club Trust Company, Kansas Wildlife Federation, Kansas Land Trust, Kansas Canoe and Kayak Association and Jayhawk Audubon.

Student and Teacher Tickets are FREE
Courtesy of the Westar Green Team with RSVP to 785 312 7200 or contact Laura.
(grade school, middle school & high school students must be accompanied by a teacher or parent)

All proceeds benefit Friends of the Kaw, a grassroots, non-profit, conservation organization that sponsors the Kansas Riverkeeper

FOK Float Schedule

Friends of the Kaw has lots of opportunities to get on the river this spring and summer.
Many of the floats are paid for by grants so boat rental is free on a first come, first serve basis – participants must RSVP.  For educational floats scheduled by specific groups, any boats not used are available for the public to rent. RSVPs can be made two weeks before the float date.  Folks with there own boats are welcome to join any float but should RSVP to Dawn (our new Kansas Riverkeeper) in case there are last minute changes.

Sunday, May 3 – Cleanup Float from Lawrence to Eudora from 1 to 6:30pm.  Meet at the 8th Street Access Ramp. We will provide 5 canoes and 5 double kayaks at no cost on a first come, first serve basis but participants MUST RSVP with Dawn or at 785 312 7200. We will provide transportation to take participants back to Lawrence after the float. This is an activity of our Douglas County Natural and Cultural Heritage Grant.

Saturday, May 9  from Cedar Creek to Edwardsville from 8:30am to 4pm. We will provide 5 canoes and 5 double kayaks at no cost on a first come, first serve basis but participants MUST RSVP with Dawn or at 785 312 7200. This is an activity of our Johnson County Stormwater Grant.

Saturday, May 30 – Konza Rotary Float in the Manhattan area from 10am to 4pm. We will make the decision to float either Ogden to Manhattan, Manhattan to St. George or St. George to Wamego two days before the float depending on the predicited wind conditions. Contact Dawn to inquire about available boats for this float after May 16 or for more information.

Saturday, June 6 – Cleanup Float from De Soto to Cedar Creek from 10am to 2:30pm.
We will provide 5 canoes and 5 double kayaks at no cost on a first come, first serve basis but participants MUST RSVP with Dawn or at 785 312 7200. This is an activity of our Johnson County Stormwater Grant.

Sunday, June 7 – Shawnee Mission Unitarian Fellowship float from De Soto to Cedar Creek from 1 to 5pm.  Contact Dawn to inquire about available boat rentals for this float after May 24 or for more information.

Friday, July 3 – Mennonite Conference float from De Soto to Cedar Creek from 2 to 5:30pm. Contact Dawn to inquire about available boat rentals for this float after June 19 or for more information.

Saturday, July 11 – Cleanup Float from De Soto to Cedar Creek from 10am to 2:30pm.
We will provide 5 canoes and 5 double kayaks at no cost on a first come first serve basis but participants MUST RSVP with Dawn or at 785 312 7200. This is an activity of our Johnson County Stormwater Grant.

The Kansas Riverkeeper and Friends of the Kaw for the Sixth YearProudly Hosts Patagonia’s

Wild and Scenic Film Festival

Show Times and Locations:

Thursday, April 30 at 7:30pm at the Glenwood Arts Theatre
at Ranchmart Shopping Center at 95th & Mission Road

Friday, May 1 at 7:00pm at Liberty Hall in Lawrence
644 Massachusetts

Adult Tickets $10 in advance or $12 at the door (suggested donation)

Tickets available at the box office or online.  Click here for more information!

Student and Teacher Tickets are FREE with RSVP to 785 312 7200, or contact Laura.
Courtesy of the Westar Green Team
(Grade school, middle school & high school students must be accompanied by a teacher or parent.)

All proceeds benefit Friends of the Kaw, a grassroots, non-profit, conservation organization that sponsors the Kansas Riverkeeper

Volunteers needed for Earth Day Booths & Film Festival!

If you can help us at either event please e-mail Dawn.

Opportunities to work at the Earth Day events:

Saturday, April 11 – Earth Day Celebration from 11am to 1:30pm or 1:30 to 4pm at South Park.

Saturday, April 18 – Party for the Planet at the Topeka Zoo in Gage Park from 9am to 12noon or 12 noon to 3pm.

Sunday, April 19 – Topeka Green Fair from 1 to 4pm at the City/County Library

We will set up the booths, have all the materials and train you at the beginning of your shift. Thanks – these are really fun events and you meet lots of interesting people.

Film Festival opportunities (for either April 30 at Glenwood Arts or May 1 at Liberty Hall):

Set-up – 2 volunteers (6:30pm-7:30pm)
Arrive at Leawood Theater and assist staff in setting up raffle, membership, merchandise, and other tables. Help hang banners.

Clean-up – 1 volunteer (9pm-9:30pm)
Assist staff in packing up materials and loading into vehicles.

Greeters – 2 volunteers (7-7:45pm)
Stand at entrance and greet all guests, answer any questions anyone has, direct to theater and outreach tables.

Ticket sales, Education Will call – 1 volunteer (6:45-7:30pm)
check in will call list for free educational tickets and add non-RSVP educational guests

Merchandise table – 1 volunteer (7-7:30, 9-9:30- before and after program)
Collect payment for any Friends of the Kaw merchandise sales. You will be trained on taking payments.

Membership/Outreach table – 2 or 3 volunteers (7-7:30, 9-9:30- before and after program and during intermission)
Man the outreach booth and hand out membership forms, river maps and just talk about the Kaw! Register attendees for door prizes and sell Kayak Raffle tickets to members for $10 each.

Photographer – 1 volunteer (7:15-9:30pm)
Photograph the event

Welcome OUR new Kansas Riverkeeper

Dawn Buehler

Dawn Buehler, Kansas Riverkeeper Dawn Buehler will begin her duties as the Kansas Riverkeeper on March 1, 2015. Growing up on a farm on the plains of Kansas, she knew at young age how much she loved the land, water and nature. Dawn was born and raised in the Kaw River Valley in DeSoto on a 2,000 acre crop farm. The family farm ran along the Kansas River in DeSoto and she developed a personal relationship with the river. She spent her childhood riding alongside her father learning about the importance of taking care of the soil, water and providing for the family. She also spent many hours on the beautiful Kansas River fishing, camping, canoeing and riding in her Dad’s airboat. Her love for the river began at this early age when she would sit and watch the sunset on the river at the end of each farm day. Dawn continued to help on the farm and also went on to college after high school and earned both a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife Conservation from Oregon State University and a Bachelor in Business Administration from Baker University. Dawn has spent her career working as a conservationist, accountant and farmer. Dawn’s passion is watershed management and finding ways we can all work together to improve our watershed and the quality of the Kansas River. As a Kansas native, Dawn has a vested interest and passion for the river. Dawn is happiest when she is outdoors. You can often find her fishing, hiking, kayaking, reading and exploring. Dawn lives with her family, including two chocolate labrador retrievers, on their farm south of Eudora. We would like to thank the tireless efforts of our Riverkeeper Seach Committee – they posted the job discription, considered over 25 applications, held phone and personal interviews and hired our new Riverkeeper. The search committee was composed of the following Board Members: Bill Modrcin, chair; Sarah Hill-Nelson, Heidi Mehl, Mike Rawitch and Kelly Savage. Our former Kansas Riverkeeper, Laura Calwell, is still on board with Friends of the Kaw on a part time basis. Her title is changing to Executive Director. Laura will focus on assisting our new Riverkeeper, managing day-to-day activities outside of advocacy and working with Educational Specialist, Kate Delehunt, to fund and promote our educational efforts for schools in particular the Kids About Water Project.

Attend a Public Input Meeting for Setting Water Supply Goals for the Kansas River Basin

Kansas River Cleanup on Saturday, March 14

Friends of the Kaw will sponsor a cleanup on the Kaw from 9am to 2pm on Saturday, March 14. Meet at the corner of 1550 Rd. (11th Street) and 1600 Rd. just east of Lawrence. Wear long pants, long sleeved shirts, sturdy shoes and bring work gloves and a shovel. We will be going down the bank to dig up tires and metal debris so this is not a good activity for kids under 12 years old. Westar Green Team will bring a line truck to lift tires and debris to the top of the bank. Kansas Department of Health and Environment Bureau of Waste Management will assist in recycling as much material as possible. This is an activity of Friends of the Kaw’s Douglas County Natural and Cultural Heritage Grant. Rain date for this cleanup is Saturday, March 28. For more information call 785 312 7200 or contact the Kansas Riverkeeper.