Mayor Thomas M. Menino to serve as honorary chairman of the 18th Annual Run of the Charles Canoe and Kayak Race

WESTON, MA — January 18, 2010—The Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) is excited to announce that Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino will serve as the Honorary Chairman of the 28th Annual Run of the Charles Canoe and Kayak Race on Sunday, April 25.

The Run of the Charles is held to benefit the CRWA and its efforts to protect the health, beauty and accessibility of the Charles River.  The annual Run of the Charles Canoe & Kayak Race showcases the ongoing improvements to the Charles River while drawing approximately 1500 paddlers and thousands of spectators to enjoy a day on the river.  The Race features paddling races for all skill levels, from expert to beginner. 

The public is welcome to join racers and celebrate Boston’s Charles River at the Finish Line Festival at DCR’s Artesani Park on Soldiers Field Road in Brighton. The Finish Line Festival features food, live music, awards, outdoor sports demonstrations, and post-race picnics.  Admission is free.

“I am very much looking forward to being a part of this year’s Run of the Charles Canoe & Kayak Race,” said Mayor Menino. “As one of the nation’s oldest watershed associations, The Charles River Watershed Association has played a major role in restoring the Charles River, and I am eager to support their event that helps raise awareness and appreciation for this very special Boston landmark.”

The Charles River Watershed Association initiated the Run of the Charles Canoe & Kayak Race to celebrate its work in cleaning up the Charles River. This year the CRWA has proclaimed a “Weekend on the Charles” combining the Earth Day Charles River Cleanup on Saturday, April 24, with the Run of the Charles on Sunday, April 25.  The Cleanup is where hundreds of volunteers gather for a communal pick-up of trash along the banks of the river.

“It is a great honor for us to have Mayor Menino as the Honorary Chairman of this year’s Run of the Charles,” said CRWA Executive Director Bob Zimmerman. “A clean environment has long been a priority for Mayor Menino and his leadership has done so much good for the city of Boston.  CRWA is confident that his involvement in the Run of the Charles will help further our mission of protecting, preserving and enjoying the Charles River!”

The Charles River Watershed Association is a non-profit organization committed to protecting and enhancing the health, beauty and accessibility of the Charles River and its tributaries and watersheds.  Every government and private stakeholder in the watershed knows CRWA’s advocacy for environmental protection.

CRWA is working with the City of Boston to create the City’s first “green street” designed to use plants and soils to absorb and clean runoff from the roadway and sidewalks.  The Dorchester Peabody Square project will include permeable pedestrian plazas, street trees that absorb and clean runoff, and rain gardens.  CRWA also worked with the Allston-Brighton Greenspace Advocates to develop draft Green Street Guidelines, and organized neighborhood workshops on greening Everett, Market and Brook streets in Allston and Brighton. 

The Run of the Charles brings greater public awareness to the Charles River as it offers corporations time to reflect on the importance of the Charles as an urban and rural landmark. Throughout the year, CRWA monitors the river with a corps of over 200 volunteers.  This program began in 1994 and has progressed with more sophisticated sampling and hotspot identification. Locating and stopping pollution inflows is one way in which CRWA is making the river cleaner.  Since 1965, CRWA’s prominent role in cleaning up the river has influenced government policy, developed river water monitoring protocols, fought to uphold water use rulings, studied and protected river plant and wildlife and educated public officials, community groups and legislators on best practices in protecting watersheds.  

CRWA welcomes sponsorships for Run of the Charles.  For more information on sponsorship, registration or any other aspect of the race, please call (508) 698-6810, e-mail rotc@crwa.org or visit www.charlesriver.org.