SOUTH PADRE ISLAND – Are you interested in paddling or kayaking your way to some juicy, delicious BBQ?
Well, if your answer is yes, your opportunity is Sunday.
The Padre Beach Rescue Association will be hosting its fourth annual Paddle Down Padre event Sunday.
Paddle Down Padre is an opportunity for people to come together in the water and raise money for the local lifeguards.
The event will begin at 3 p.m. Those participating in the paddle portion of the event will begin their journey at KOA camp-grounds and paddle about two miles north, ending at Tequila Sunset.
After the paddle, participants are invited to Louie’s Backyard for a silent auction, live music and a BBQ buffet.
Paddlers will have the opportunity to compete for a trophy in three different categories including, kayaking, stand-up pad-dling and prone paddling.
Those not wanting to participate in the paddle but interested in the event can purchase a wristband for $10. Those attend-ing both can register for $25.
Registration for the event can be done on-site or beforehand on the Eventbrite website.
According to Jim Pigg, head of the beach patrol, last year the event brought in about 40 people and raised an estimated $4,000. He believes this year, will be bigger.
“We think that we’re easily going to double that,” Pigg said. “We’ve been getting a lot of good, positive feedback lately.”
He said last year the money was enough to create two scholarships for local, graduating seniors and help send four life-guards to a national competition.
The money raised will go toward the same two causes.
Scholarship recipients will be chosen based on an essay contest submitted and voted on by lifeguards.
The rest of the funds raised will go toward sending six local lifeguards to the USLA National Lifeguard Championships in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Though the PBRA has been around since 2008, the lifeguards have only started competing since 2013.
What: 4th Annual
Paddle Down Padre
When: Sunday, July 23
Time: 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Louie’s Backyard
Cost: $10-$25
Activities
Standup Paddling (SUP): to stand on a boad while paddling
Prone Paddling: to paddle on a board while crouching, kneeling or lying on the stomach
Kayaking: sitting in a canoe-like boat while paddling
