Welcome to the Paddle in the Park Contest 2016!

01 Jul Welcome to the Paddle in the Park Contest 2016!

The Paddle In The Park Contest: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016

Can you believe it? This summer marks year number four for the Paddle In The Park Contest (PITPC). That is four fun years of trying to find ways of getting people to spend more time in nature.

So why do we do this? Because we honestly believe that everyone should read our list of 9(+1) Rewards & Reasons To Spend Time In Nature, so that as many people as possible are aware of all of the scientifically proven benefits that come with engaging with our natural world; and thus through this contest, we hope that we have found a way to encourage you to take time in your life to seek out more wilderness experiences by yourself and with others. Supporting and respecting our parks and wild spaces is also a very important part of our advocacy campaign/contest. (If you don’t know why, see Reward #9.)

We also really love the PITPC. It is a personal passion for all of the contest organizers, and it all started because of that list we keep telling you about. The PITPC has definitely evolved over the years. Since the beginning of this campaign, we have hidden over a dozen paddles along various portage trails in the Algonquin, Temagami, Killarney, and the Kawartha areas;  given away over $15,000 in gear and prizes, plus 2 brand new Nova Craft Canoes. Last year we started the Paddle Points version of the PITPC, which includes an official list of Tasks and advocacy “Flags“, as a way to help encourage even more people to spend time in nature.

Mike of Badger Paddles poses with the Robertson family at AlO for their Paddle Hider photo – they got lots of Paddle Points last year for this one!

As it turns out, we aren’t the only ones who love and appreciate the PITPC (or the challenge and message behind it). Many of you do too. We really look forward to your stories every year now, and we have been truly impressed by the passion that so many of you have shown for the Paddle In The Park Contest and what it represents. Your trips, the camaraderie, and your adventurous spirits is what drives the PITPC.

Chris Hocking, 2 time winner and 3 time paddle finder, is a legend around the PITPC!

This year we are hiding 4 paddles: The Nova Craft Canoe Paddle, The Happy Camper Paddle and the Portageur.ca paddle; along with a separate, special Algonquin Outfitters PORTAGE QUEEN paddle. All in all, we are giving away over $5000 in gear and prizes, plus a Prospector from Nova Craft Canoe. We also have a few surprises packed away still, as well. A special thanks to our amazing sponsors who help to make all the 9(+1) Rewards the best they could possibly be – and please make sure to find and follow your favourites on social media (eg. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) to help show your support for the PITPC. (You can even tell them that we sent you!)

For those of you who are returning PITPC enthusiasts, welcome back and good luck! For those of you who are just new to the contest, be sure to take a look around our website (which we are still updating over the next several days – any old text and/or menu items etc. that we may have missed – and working out any little kinks in the system) to learn more about our Find The Paddle and Paddle Points Contests. For those of you who missed it, the first Paddle Hiding Contest CLUE (preseason) can be found in the image below. Oh, and definitely read our contest rules and regulations as well – that is mandatory for participation in the PITPC. But really, and most importantly, just get “Out There”!