Turkey Bash Training Clinic
Saturday and Sunday
July 31, August 1 2010
:: Forms Available at the Bottom of the Page ::
The thirty third Turkey Bash, which is the social event of the year, will be held the weekend of July 31, August 1. There will be two days of paddling instruction provided by experienced TRPC volunteer paddlers as well as food and other fun events. The highlight of the weekend is the turkey dinner on Saturday night. All TRPC members are encouraged to participate in the dinner, even if you do not participate in the Clinic. We would like your company and need your help in preparing dinner, set-up and clean up. In order to participate in this great event you need to satisfy several requirements; you must be alive, you must be a member of TRPC, you must complete the applicable forms, and get the forms and payment to Dave Greenwald by the July 17 deadline. If you want your children in the youth clinic there is a fifth requirement which is contacting Laurie Haugh and getting youth clinic forms to her by the same deadline. Youth Clinic participants must be at least six years old.
The instructional clinic will start Saturday at 9:00 a.m. in the Ferncliff parking area of Ohiopyle State Park for most students. Students and instructors will check in here and groups will organize for Saturday’s paddling. Some of the advanced groups may be meeting earlier in order to utilize 8 A.M. and 9 A.M. launch permits. Students in these groups will be contacted by their instructors to arrange an alternate meeting time and place. The Ferncliff parking lot entrance is located on Route 381 by the railroad tracks (across the bridge over the Yough from Ohiopyle). The youth clinic will meet at Benner’s Campground.
Instructors will select a paddling venue based on the experience level of the group and water levels. Arrangements have been made with the park to get a number of free put-on slots for the Lower Yough for both days. Each student paddling the entire Lower Yough is responsible for $4.00 shuttle bus fee. In addition to the Lower Yough, the Middle Yough, several sections of the the Casselman, the Cheat Narrows, the Cheat Gorge and Meadow run have all been used in prior clinics depending on water levels and group skills.
Volunteers
In order to run the clinic we need instructors and assistant instructors for both the adult and youth clinics. In addition Jeanie Bailey needs help purchasing food, getting to Benner’s and cooking.
Registration deadline is July 17, 2009!
This will allow adequate time for the organizers to assign student and instructors to groups. Therefore, LATE REGISTRATIONS FOR THE CLINIC WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Note that he deadline is for getting all the forms and payment to the organizers, post marks don’t count, We need the forms and payment in our hands on July 17.
Forms Needed:
All forms are available for download here where they are arranged in kits, so that each participant in clinic needs to download and fill out one multipage pdf file. For example the first person in a family would use either a TRPC member student registration if they will be student and is member of TRPC. The next member of the family would need an additional instructor kit if they want to be and instructor, and their child needs an additional youth clinic kit. Several of the forms can be filled in on the computer prior to printing, and include a “Print” button at the end of the pages which can be filled out before printing. Please use the print button, since it will check your inputs. After printing fill in the pages which must be done manually and send the completed forms and payments in. Payment and mailing instructions are on the registration form.
Equipment Needed
Each student must provide their own equipment. If you are renting a boat be sure to confirm with the vendor that it has floatation bags which provide buoyancy in addition to the foam walls in the boat. Each participant must have a whitewater boat, paddle, helmet, life jacket, and spray skirt (kayaks, decked canoes). The following list will give you an idea of what you need:
- Canoes must be equipped with flotation foam or bags and painters on both ends of the boat
- Kayaks must be equipped with properly attached grab loops in good repair on both ends of the boat, and floatation bags
- Helmet that fits Bicycle helmets are not acceptable
- Spray skirt – that fits both you and the boat (only for closed boats)
- PFD (Life jacket) – that fits and is US Coast Guard approved– must be worn by all participants
- Paddle – some will claim canoes use only half a paddle, while others claim kayaks have a second training blade.
- Clothes – for paddling that suit the weather (cotton is bad)
- Shoes – that will stay on in swift water and fit in your boat
- Lunch – for each day in a waterproof container
- Water bottle – with plenty of fluids
- Strap for eyeglasses – if needed
- Sunscreen
- A method to tie items in your boat
Turkey Dinner
The Saturday evening turkey dinner will be served at Benner’s Meadow Run and will once again be cooked by Tom Irwin and his trusty crew of helpers. Serving will start at approximately 6:00 p.m. and will continue in stages thereafter for paddlers who arrive later. Even if you are in a later group, dinner will be hot and ready for you. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. We need assistant cooks and people to help clean up after dinner. Please volunteer for these activities so that we don’t have to come around and twist your arm. There are places on your participation form to indicate that you wish to help with these items.
Dessert Bakeoff Competition
The All-Male River Rat Bake-Off will once again provide dessert. Men get to demonstrate their cooking abilities by providing a dessert to be judged by the women. Ladies, a few of you will be called upon to sample these tasty treats. We know it’s tough, but someone has to do it! Remember guys, without you, we have no desserts. If that is not enough incentive, we will give out prizes.
Camping
Camping is available at a group rate from Benner’s Meadow Run. Camping will be $9.75 per adult , $4.00 per child (4-16) per night and under 4 is free. You will pay for your own camping upon entering Benner’s. The campground personnel will have a list of all clinic participants. You must identify yourself on the list to receive the group rate.
If you are NOT camping but just coming for dinner, you must still sign in at the gate. Non-campers MUST ALSO sign out when leaving for the evening.
Directions to Sites
To Ohiopyle
Take the PA Turnpike to the Donegal Exit
Turn Right onto Rt. 31 East
Turn Right onto Rt. 711 South (toward 7Springs). This turn is at Sarnelli’s Market.
Follow Rt. 711 until it comes to a T at Rt. 381 South, and turn left.
The town of Ohiopyle is in Ohiopyle State Park, about 10 miles on 381 South.
Immediately after crossing the railroad tracks, turn right into the Ferncliff Parking area.
Benner’s Meadow Run Campground
From Ohiopyle, take 381 South for 5 miles.
Turn right on Bell Grove Rd.
Turn left on Nelson Rd. Benner’s is on right.
Or
From Rt. 40, turn North onto Nelson Rd. (opposite of Fort Necessity National Battlefield)
Travel 2-1/2 miles on Nelson Rd. Benner’s is on left.
724-329-4097 www.bennersmeadowrun.com
Some of the clinic crew
Clinic Organizer (should receive all forms except youth)
Dave Greenwald
235 Rockingham Rd
Pittsburgh PA 15238
412 968 0597
TurkeyBash2009@comcast.net
Youth Clinic (Must be contacted to enroll students in the youth clinic, should receive youth forms)
Laurie Haugh
146 1st St
Blawnox PA 15238
(412) 390-8423
lhaugh@idlww.com
Executive Chef
Jean Bailey
412-881-2244
jean.bailey@klgates.com
Forms
Forms are in multipage pdf files, so each person needs one of the files. The first person in a family need one of the Registration files, everyone else in the family needs one of the Additional files.
Please fill out the pages of the fil in type PDF files on you computer. At the bottom of the last fill in page is a print button, please use it to print the forms. Once printed, please fill in the manual forms, and send all the forms printed in with payment via snail mail.
Non-Member Student Registration
Non-Paddling Registration
TRPC Member Student Registration
Additional Student Form
Additional Youth Student
Instructor Registration
Additional Instructor Form
