Our team is excited to welcome Kokopelli as the newest Founding Partner or Protect Our Rivers! For those of you who aren't familiar with Kokopelli, they're a packraft powerhouse based out of Longmont, Colorado. Since they started in 2012, they've been manufacturing the best packrafts on the market.
They've made huge strides in innovation, spreading the sport's popularity to several countries worldwide and inspiring adventurers to take Kokopelli's products to the edge of the earth. As Kokopelli enters into their 10th year of business, they've made a huge commitment to protecting rivers and the other magical places we treasure.
"We've been strategic on who we bring on as Founding Partners, and they all make substantial contributions to sustain our organization," says Sarah Nelson, Executive Director of Protect Our Rivers. "We connected with Kokopelli around our mutual belief that small actions lead to greater change, and people have the personal power to make a difference."
Katherine Williamson, Community Manager of Kokopelli agrees, "There is no project that is too big or too small for a community that really cares. Picking up one piece of trash might seem like a small act, but in the long run, the habit becomes an instinct that becomes second nature. If we all work together, we can preserve all water alike for generations to come."
Kokopelli will be a critical player in funding and participating in large-scale cleanup events and educating people on the pathway of trash from source to sea. Partnering with Kokopelli will help Protect Our Rivers get more people involved and engaged with our programs, which will be powerful in making a more significant impact.
"River cleanup events benefit ecosystems and communities in a plethora of ways including preserving biodiversity, building communities and protecting our drinking water for our children in the years to come," adds Katherine. Plus, when you actively participate in a clean up you get to meet amazing people that share the same vision as you, get some good exercise and you get to be outside!"
We are kicking off our partnership with Kokopelli with our first cleanup of the 2022 season with an event on St. Vrain Creek in celebration of World Water Day, March 22nd. "We are most excited to not only pair with a local organization but to start doing multiple river cleanups a year, starting our backyard," adds Katherine. "We know that all efforts, big or small, will make a big difference."
To sign up for the St. Vrain cleanup, visit protectourrivers.org, and to learn more about Kokopelli, visit kokopelli.com.