Winner Announcement:
Please watch the video above to understand the true depth of this gift. And the legacy it leaves. That said, It is a great honor to announce the winner. We were so blown away by the entries. We read each one, and voted with multiple judges, but we all but agreed it was very difficult to choose. Every one was beautifully written with talent and heartfelt sincerity. And we felt after each one that that person was certainly worthy in their own way. We encourage you to read these entries and be reminded about how powerful our sport can be, for the mind, the body, and the soul.
Congratulations to Jessica Struble who entered not for herself, but for her unsuspecting mom who she will be giving the canoe to. Jessica saw from her perspective the life-changing impact paddling has had. Truly as generous, selfless and moving as the donors gesture. Read her story here. And then read the others from 6 states, and 2 countries. Some as young as 7 years old. We promise, you will be moved by each and every one.
- Struble, Jessica (Winner)
- Bown, Cathie
- Cargo, Aiden
- Chen, Lindy
- Cloutier, Melissa
- Culver, Christine
- Darrow, Jeannette
- De La Rosa, Marcos
- Dorku, Zayar
- Dunavin, Jennifer
- Feldman, Abe
- Fong, Alex
- Galimba, Tony
- Geiger, Dylan
- Gigglberger, Gisella
- Graves, Ashlyn
- Hammer, Marc (Hapa)
- Inman, Karen
- Jackson, Torrey
- Jaeger, Denise
- Larson, Hanh
- Li, Shawn
- Louie, Jeremy
- Luong, Jimmy
- Martin, Cash
- Martin, Justice
- Martin, Keona
- Martin, Mikaela
- Ng, David
- Nguyen, BrIana
- Nguyen, Lynn
- Ramos, Melanie
- Rivor, Jared
- Robert, Carole
- Siazon, Kevin John
- Suen, Emily
- Tan, Kae
- Tran, Priscilla
- Tsai, Patrick
- Ulrich, Melissa
- Wong, Tyler
- Zetooney, Paige
- (Anonymous)
Original Essay Backstory:
We were recently approached by a VERY generous paddler and friend of CP. They have an OC1 in great condition but she does not paddle it anymore. It is in wonderful shape, but needs someone to make it glide again!
They asked if we knew anyone that would be worthy of being GIVEN the canoe, instead of trying to sell it. As you can imagine, we were blown away by such a generous thought. Immediately we thought how every paddler we knew was pretty awesome. And we know they would all appreciate the gesture. But picking just one would be too hard. So, in partnership with the donor, we decided to create a contest.
Thank you to all the entrants. We invite you to read them ALL below, as they were each moving tributes to a sport we love and the community as a whole. You will be a more grateful paddler learning their stories. We promise.
Choosing a winner was not easy, but involved the donor and Cali Paddler choosing their top three and then assigning points (3-2-1) based on their rank. Then combining results and points to determine the winner.
Essay Requirements:
Part 1: “Describe how paddling has changed your life.”
Part 2: “How do you plan to use this canoe, and perhaps someday pass it along?”
Official Posted Rules
- Entries must be received no later than Sunday, June 16th, 2019 at 11:59pm PST. To be emailed to info@calipaddler.com.
- The donor requests that they be given the honor of presenting the canoe.
- The recipient/winner promises not to turn around and sell it. This is a gesture from the heart to the paddling community so someone can enjoy the freedom and joy an OC1 can bring. They ask that, should the winner ever decide to part ways with the canoe, that they “give” it to the next owner, and make its story known to future owners so they also give it to a deserving paddlers. Cherish, paddle and then pass along!
- All entries are submitted with permission to Cali Paddler, LLC to publish in any medium (print, web, social media). Full authorship credit would be given to the author.
- Pickup and transportation is the responsibility of the winner. Donor lives in greater San Diego area.
- Winner will be contacted directly and announced no later than Saturday, June 22nd, 2019.
- Winner entry will be determined based on compelling content, and presentation.
- All ages may apply. If under 18, parent/guardian permission and acknowledgment must be provided.
All eligible entries will be mailed a Cali Paddler sticker and $5.00 1-time use discount code to the CaliPaddler.com store (expires December 31, 2019).
About the Prize and Canoe
Package includes:
Huki V1-Z OC-1, Canoe cover, Rooftop transport system, Leash, Cali Paddler hat. (paddle shown in pictures not included)
OC1 is well cared-for. Water-tight with professional level repairs performed as needed. Full description at: https://www.huki.com/
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