Chair's Cockpit

By David (Cotton) Cottingham

This is my final Chair's Cockpit after serving as Chair since January 2021. It's been an honor to serve as Chair and a pleasure to do so. I've made many new friends and gotten to know scores of longtime friends better. Thanks to the efforts of many dedicated volunteers, CCA is as strong as ever and poised for many more years of paddling, river conservation and advocacy, and being the vibrant center of the DC area paddling community. 

CCA began in 1956 with a group of river and paddling enthusiasts getting together to share their love of the Potomac and nearby whitewater rivers, being outside together, and adventure. As CCA members we want to celebrate that history while seeking ways to broaden our membership and share our experiences. 

As I paddled Little Falls with our Thursday group recently, a furloughed federal employee joined the regulars. When I asked how long he'd been paddling, he said this was his first year on the river. He couldn't believe that he hadn't realized what a treasure the Potomac is after living in the area almost three decades. I'm encouraged that local paddling schools—like Calleva, Potomac Paddlesports, and Paddlesport Institute—are introducing hundreds of new people to kayaking each year. CCA needs to continue to find new paddlers like him and welcome them into the club.

CCA membership has increased slightly recently. We are up to more than 350 memberships, many of which include several members in a single household. That brings total membership to more than 500 individuals. Several years ago, CCA created a Life Membership classification. Thanks to supportive members, the club now has four Life Members. If you have an IRA from which you can make Qualified Charitable Donations (QCDs), that's a great way you can donate at least $500 to CCA and become a Life Member.

I very much want to thank all the people who volunteer to organize and coordinate CCA activities. Looking at the totality of the programs, classes, and paddling trips that CCA volunteers organize makes me realize what a wonderfully active club we have. CCA's future success depends on these folks and others to step up and become involved with your club. I started to try to name you and quickly realized that I was bound to leave someone out. Suffice it to say that I sincerely appreciate all the volunteer work that so many of you do to make CCA the wonderful club it is. Thank you all. I've truly enjoyed serving CCA members and the DC area paddling community as your Chair.

—Cotton