The Community College of Allegheny County Wellness Committee sponsored the first CCAC Paddle & Pedal Event on Oct. 5. Participants enjoyed a relaxing kayak ride down the Allegheny River and biked back on the river trail. Although parts of the journey had unexpected challenges, the group worked together. The obstacles created more group interactions and resulted in a more eventful time than anticipated.
Participants met at Camp Guyasuta in the morning and biked to the marina in Sharpsburg. The helpful BSA (Boy Scouts of America) staff provided paddling instruction. BSA provided the equipment — including bikes, personal floatation devices, and kayaks. The plan was to go from Sharpsburg to Millvale and then bike back to Camp Guyasuta along the river trail.
Once in the water, it was discovered that regional collegiate sculling races were taking place. Sculling is a sport whose origins reach back to Ancient Egyptian times and involves rowers in a single line propelling a long, narrow boat.
These all-day races took all the exit points on the North Shore so the group improvised and exited at a marina on the downtown side of the river. This detour added a lot of distance and unexpected navigating to the journey. The round Trip took about five hours.
Participants enjoyed the trip sponsored by the CCAC Wellness Committee so much that an informal group for future outdoor adventures convened on their own. This was led by Beth Ison. She says the CCAC Paddle and Pedal event allowed employees to interact with colleagues from across the campus.
Due to the challenges that were presented during the Paddle and Pedal event, she feels that the participants bonded. With the newly found bond between colleagues, people wanted to go out and have another experience with each other outdoors. A call was put out to the employees to plan another outing and 40 responses were received. This is how the “Adventure Club” was born. Ten people participated in a trail hike in Frick Park.
Beth is hopeful for more outings in the future. The creation of this new Adventure Club demonstrates the success of the CCAC Wellness Committee. The Wellness Committees’ goal is to keep employees active, moving and healthy.
CCAC’s Paddle & Pedal event was the chance for college employees to spend time together outside the workplace.
