American Whitewater (AW) and Wave Sport are pleased to announce the 2^nd Annual American Whitewater Steward of the Year award presented by Wave Sport. This annual river stewardship achievement award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to river access, conservation, or safety on behalf of American Whitewater.

Mark Singleton, Executive Director for American Whitewater notes "Wave Sport has had a long history of supporting AW's river stewardship efforts and we are once again very excited to work with them to recognize these deserving individuals."

"Without the hard work of these volunteers we wouldn't have many of the paddling opportunities we currently have and Wave Sport is proud to recognize those who have worked so hard protecting our resources," says Brian Jennings, team manager for Wave Sport Kayaks.

The American Whitewater Steward of the Year award will be presented at the American Whitewater Gauley River Festival. The recipient will be presented with the Wave Sport whitewater kayak of their choice. The 2007 American Whitewater Gauley River Festival runs from September 21^st through the 23^rd in Summersville, WV.

Recipients of the American Whitewater Steward of the Year presented by Wave Sport will be selected from nominees submitted by any of AW's 120 affiliate clubs or by AW executive board members. Nomination forms can be downloaded by clicking here.

Nominees will be evaluated based on:

• Impact on local river access and conservation issues
• Diversity of project work
• Engaging and providing leadership to additional volunteers to assist in river stewardship efforts
• Effectively communicating regional stewardship goals and activities to the whitewater community
• Advocating for higher standards of river safety and practices

NOMINATIONS FOR 2007 ARE DUE BY SEPTEMBER 1^ST.

American Whitewater's efforts have always been supplemented by the hard work of hundreds of volunteers nationwide. These volunteers are not only AW's eyes and ears on local projects; they also serve as AW's voice by attending local meetings, working with local partners, and building the necessary relationships for successful river stewardship projects.