As part of an paddlesports festival in Rock Island that makes an annual attempt at a world record, volunteers are needed to help throughout the event.
For Floatzilla 2013, River Action is seeking volunteers to help with registration, loading and unloading kayaks and canoes, launching, portaging, parking, and cleanup.
Click here to register as a volunteer. Volunteers should be high school age or older and will receive a free Floatzilla 2013 t-shirt. A one-hour orientation for volunteers will be on Thursday, August 15, 2013 at 5:30 p.m. at the QCCA Expo Center in Rock Island.
Event organizers advise that if you are volunteering to help with the launch, loading and unloading areas, you must be able to lift 40-50 punds.
On Saturday, August, 17, participants will paddle from one of five launch sites to Lake Potter at Sunset Park in Rock Island. The launch sites will be from Ben Butterworth Parkway in Moline, Marquette Street or the foot of Main Street or Credit Island in Davenport, and Empire Park in East Moline. Boaters also have the option to put-in directly at Lake Potter.
Because there is no access to Sylvan Island, those launching at Ben Butterworth Parkway have a new route. They will lock-through Lock & Dam 15, which diverts away from portaging through Sylvan Island.
Once the group is at Lake Potter, everyone will gather for a photo in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest flotilla of canoes and kayaks. The current record is 1,902.
Click here to register. Registration is $20 per paddler and includes a Floatzilla t-shirt, decal, free parking, and shuttle to and from the on-site parking. After August 15, late registration costs $25, and it is not guaranteed late-registrants will receive t-shirts or decals.
State registration is not required for canoes or kayaks participating in Floatzilla, according to the event website.