Joe Mornini, Team River Runner: the Foundation award belongs to thousands of volunteers and veterans
Since 2004, Joe Mornini and Team River Runner have been helping connect and create healing opportunities for wounded veterans by putting a paddle in their hands. A retired special education teacher and lifetime outdoor enthusiast, Joe co-founded Team River Runner (TRR), an organization whose mission is to provide wounded and disabled veterans with the opportunity to embrace new challenges through adaptive paddling adventure programs.
Joe Mornini about the Foundation Award:
"This award will be accepted on behalf of thousands of individuals over many years. Volunteers, veterans, active duty service members, caregivers...the list is endless. This award belongs to them. Is sheepish a good word? When we started TRR back in the Fall of 2004, the first thing I told those willing to try out kayaking at Walter Reed was "please don't thank me... let this be the way I (we) thank you." I still mean that. This award tells all of the TRR family that we have healing and empowering "lightening in a bottle" for thousands more."
Team River Runner today offers weekly paddling sessions in over 65 locations across the United States and has helped countless war veterans overcome psychological and physical wounds of war through the healing power of water. Much more than an adaptive sports program, TRR provides hope and healing to those who have risked so much, yet asked for so little. It’s an opportunity to enjoy nature and realize its social, physical benefits, whether tackling whitewater rapids or paddling on peaceful flat-water. It’s an environment that facilitates connection, allowing veterans to reunite with their families and forge relationships with those who have endured similar pain on the river to recovery.
Kathy Champion congratulates TRR and Joe Mornini with winning the Foundation Award.
We ask Joe what drives individuals in the paddlesports community to use our passion to serve others:
"Perhaps it is our drive to take others to the river, or any water we paddle on, comes from what paddling has done for each of us. All those who have found paddlesports have individual reasons. Whatever those reasons may be, the answers and self growth we each receive is so powerful we are compelled to share our treasure-healing water. If those we wish to share with are struggling with a life concern, we know that time out on the water is restorative beyond measure. "Butts in boats" for everyone!"
What is the biggest challenge we find working with war veterans, specifically, on the water?
"Two challenges jump out at me as this question is focused on war veterans. TRR is inclusive, so veterans of all eras, family members, caregivers, and even disabled community non-veterans are on our radar (with veterans as instructors and leadership in our 65 Chapters across America and now one in Italy). We do outreach and our network continues to grow. However, we need help to find more war veterans that would benefit from our program. Secondly, in our work with veterans, we must teach patience in skill-building and allow skills to grow in a smooth and steady progression.
War veterans find tremendous healing and empowerment with TRR, but there are so many beneficial programs designed for them in our country now, that we are something of a fringe sport. TRR does not compete with other programs but always works to collaborate. In fact, we regularly refer our veteran paddlers to other opportunities and programs. TRR programs and accomplishments are promoted through social media but we do not advertise. We rely on clinicians or veteran service providers to refer participants to us.
We find war veterans are all go . . . and up to taking on challenges and adventures. With adventure paddling, it is easy for vets to become frustrated when they don't accomplish goals, like running hard whitewater, in a short period of time. If we can encourage them to persist, they all become excellent paddlers. Combat veterans have told me that whitewater kayaking is the closest activity they have done that replicates the adrenaline of war. Whitewater kayaking can be unpredictable, comes at you fast, can be relentless and has danger. You train to improve and you paddle as a team. I have never been in combat, these are their words."
Who would you like to thank Joe?
"Folks I wish to thank: everyone involved. I would like to state that every person who has in any contributed to the TRR family of programs and chapters has helped us grow. Each person, and I can name hundreds, thousands, has donated time, energy, skills, personal treasure. These contributions have helped so many, for years now. I thank each one for their kind generosity from my heart.
I would like to thank my wife, and daughters. Nancy, my wife, has been a guide, support, wise and gifted mentor... through 14 years of devotion to TRR. Her selflessness should never be questioned or underappreciated. My daughters, Kate and Megan... the same holds true for them as well. Without the support and guidance of my family, all of TRR would not be receiving this award!
Joe Mornini accepting the Foundation Award on behalf of Team River Runner.
Finally, it is the hope of many of us in TRR that our program lasts 100 and more years. And in that time, we only get better at what we offer creating more programs and opportunities, including leadership, for war veterans. Would it not be wonderful to see a wheelchair sitting empty by the water everywhere there are kayaks or SUP's or paddle craft? Or that you see blind individuals being led to the water by family, friends, or staff? Would it not be inspiring to know that many of the instructors and coordinators of those paddling programs are veterans, many of them, wounded veterans? The veterans of our nation joined to serve; allowing them opportunities to continue to serve others after leaving the Military would be the highest level any paddling program can achieve.
TRR is accomplishing that feat and is hungry to build on those successes. Paddle On! Paddle Everywhere! Paddle With Everyone!"
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