COMMUNITY

A day on the river

Project ABLE, a group dedicated to providing peer support with mental health issues, held a learn-to-kayak event at Keizer Rapids Park Saturday, June 19.

About 30 people turned out at the first-time event, said Ramiro Navarro, veterans program coordinator for Project ABLE, and there were 25 kayaks in the water.

The event also drew the attention of the directors of the Oregon Department of Veteran Affairs, the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife and a member of the Oregon State Marine Board.

“We found out the marine board member is a paralyzed veteran and he had some issues getting down to the dock. After a long conversation, they offered to help us with grants for making the dock ADA-accessible,” Navarro told the Keizer City Council at a meeting Monday, June 21.

Any grant application would likely need to be recommended by the Keizer Parks Advisory Board and must be approved by the members of the council before moving forward.