ORANGE — The 10th Millers River Challenge is just over the horizon.
The canoe, kayak and stand-up paddleboard race, hosted by the Orange Lions Club, is set to start at Riverfront Park on Saturday, Sept. 3, serving as a fundraiser for the Lions Club, the Orange Fireman’s Relief Association and the Northfield Dive Team.
“We really just make it a lot of fun,” said organizer Jerry Whaland, owner of Billy Goat Boats in Riverfront Park, who co-founded the event with Shelly Gelinas.
The Millers River Challenge is a community race for all ages. Sign-ups for races started Aug. 1, with the first 50 registered racers to receive a free T-shirt on race day. Racers under 18 can register for $5 with parental/guardian permission. The cost is $20 for those 18 and older. Same-day registration begins at 9 a.m.
The 8-mile Pro Race begins at 11 a.m., while the 3-mile High School Cup Race and 1-mile Youth Race start at 1 p.m. Whaland said the Pro Race goes “a little bit into Athol, and back.” All races are part of the 2022 New England Canoe and Kayak Racing Association (NECKRA) point series.
Orange Fire Chief James Young said his department will have a rescue boat in the Millers River during the race to follow the paddlers, ensuring everyone’s safety. He explained the Orange Fireman’s Relief Association — one of the recipients of money raised from the Millers River Challenge — was founded to assist on-call firefighters injured in the line of duty. They originally would not have qualified for full-time benefits because of their on-call status, but Young said there has since been a change in the law. Now, he said, the association focuses on fundraising for scholarships and the purchase of necessary firefighting equipment not funded by the town.
Whaland said the Millers River Challenge started about 12 years ago when Communities Collaborative Inc. was looking for a way to raise money and boost morale. He explained tragedy had struck the Millers River during the summer of 2009, when an 11-year-old girl from Orange drowned after getting swept away after falling into the water while playing with other children. Whaland said the ordeal was taxing on the Orange Fire Department and the Northfield Dive Team.
For more information, call 978-577-8420 or send an email to billygoatboats@gmail.com.
Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262.