[Paddlewise] Who we are

Greetings from Paint Island Canoe & Kayak in Bordentown, NJ on the Delaware
River. Nanette and I are nonprofit types that have created this paddle shop to
hopefully balance our nonprofit activities. I work full time for Isles, Inc.
out of Trenton. I run the new community farm project which works to deliver
fresh produce to the neediest in the city, help people start farmstand
businesses, and develop new economic sustainable products from the farm like
herbs and perennials tht we can market to the traditional outlets in the area.

Our roots in the nonprofit sector sometimes clash with the business of running
the paddle shop. Our training has not been $. We have donated a canoe as a
fund raiser, offer free paddling opportunites to Trenton based nonprofit staff
and the people they serve who would not be able to enjoy the pleasures and
joys of being on the water. This April, we are doing a trip out of a city park
on the famous Delaware and Raritan Canal once the gateway for goods coming up
the Delaware and heading east to New Brunswick and the NYC markets.

Our shop is truly a small boat shop. We have 450 square feet with every nook
and cranny filled with gear, rope, floatations devices, lights, and boats. We
have had as many as ten boats hanging from the walls in the shop. Our landlord
will be allowing us to store some boats in a back building this season and
another paddle friendly companies are offering us additional storage space. If
you stop in, we may have to take you down the street to see our crafts.

I started paddling with Boy Scouts many years ago. Then one crazy summer I got
a job with the Princeton YMCA leading youth canoe/camping trips to Algonquin
Provincial Park, The NorthEast Carry in Maine, and Nova Scotia. I actually got
paid to go camping and canoing. That was that. I bought a 13' used Gruman for
$75.00 and paddled the local lakes for years. Poetry, love, and life came from
my small outings.

Nanette, my partner, grew up in Rochester NY. She always water skied or sailed
but never paddled. Now we both have our flatwater certification, looking to
move ahead.

I watch the list to offer assistance when I can. Believe it or not we actually
sold a roof rack to a service man in Japan via the list. 

We are looking for small investors to help us grow our business. If interested
email back.

Have a great paddling season. Come see us.

Ron and Nanette
Paint Island Canoe & Kayak
http://www.riversport.com/paintisland/
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