He made it!!

River Quest is officially over, Pat was able to paddle all 210 miles of the mighty St. Joseph River in 4 consecutive days!

This was a journey he will remember forever. Thanks to all those who helped and participated along the way. Special thanks goes to:

• Bob Owens, St. Joseph River historian. Bob has traveled the length of the St. Joe 7 times and was able to give Pat invaluable information about portages and river conditions near the head waters. Bob followed Pat by car for the first two days, giving him encouragement and food and drink supplies.

• David Pope, another paddler of the St. Joe length. David put Pat up for the night in Hillsdale, MI the night before River Quest began.

• The City of Tekonsha. When Pat reached Tekonsha, MI, the mayor and other supporters greeted him with a plaque and proclamation. Mr. Riggs, city clerk, provided Pat with a trailer to sleep in for his first night.

• Charlie Swihart, owner of the Three Rivers Canoe Rental. Charlie extended the hospitality of his home for Pat to sleep on his second night.

• Dr. Chris Hall who supplied Pat on Saturday morning with food and drink from Three Rivers, MI to Mishawaka, IN---all before he began his own medical working marathon!

• Phil Newbold, CEO of Memorial Hospital, and teachers from Penn High School who joined Pat on the river in South Bend on his trip to the East Race.

• Mikki Dobski and Nicole Seall, community affairs for the City of South Bend, who planned a spectacular reception at the East Race in South Bend. This reception was the highlight of Pat's journey!

• Citizen Bob, a local rock band, played at the East Race as Pat triumphantly arrived. Citizen Bob creatively changed their lyrics to coordinate to Pat's Quest!

• Bill Kanost, Indiana canoe racer, paddled with Pat on his last day from Buchanan, MI all the way to Lake Michigan! Bill's accompaniment was a godsend to Pat, weary on his very last day. He and his wife, Deb, had seen WNDU's news clip on Pat's trip Saturday evening. He set his alarm early for the next day and was determined to go find Pat and give him help!

• The media and all those who helped to spread River Quest's message of awareness/appreciation for the St. Joseph River.

• All those who participated in river clean-ups along the way.

On May 29-June 1, Patrick Sawyer, an avid canoe/kayak racer and event director for the Michiana Paddlefest, is attempting to paddle the entire length of the St. Joseph River--all 210 miles in just 4 consecutive days!!

River Quest is an awareness/appreciation campaign for the St. Joseph River; for its conservational issues, its recreational use and enjoyment, its rich heritage, and its strong factors in our community's development.

Friends of the St. Joe River and Michiana Watershed are working with Pat to make this a huge spectacle for the entire Michiana region.

We are inviting all river city mayors, county and state officials, business owners, colleges, high schools, conservation and outdoor organizations to be a part of this.

We want everyone to come out to the river on the days Pat is paddling by to gather, clean the river, paddle with Pat, receive honorary tokens of river assistance, etc. We're contacting media all along the St. Joe River to chronicle the event.

Several activities will be planned along the river--activities for kids, scientific/environmental lectures, seminars, guided hikes, interpretive activities, art displays and performances, contests, canoe cruises with Pat,etc. It's up to all of you to join in!! As events and activities are planned, they will be listed by city in our River City section. Contact us if you're interested in being a part!!!

The River Runs Through Us....
The St. Joseph River starts in Michigan and goes through Hillsdale, Jonesville, Litchfield, Homer, Tekonsha, Burlington, Union City, Mendon, Three Rivers, Colon, Constantine, and Mottville. It then dips down into Indiana, flowing through Bristol, Elkhart, Osceola, Mishawaka, and South Bend. Finally, the river flows northward through Niles, Buchanan, Berrien Springs, Benton Harbor, and St. Joseph where it flows into Lake Michigan.

Check out River City Plans to see what your city is planning for this program.

This will be huge, fun, and beneficial to all involved!

Take the river less paddled.....