During his high school years, Paul Gillingham participated in many outdoor programs and camps through the Siskiyou Family YMCA, including a raft guide course they offered. That course inspired Gillinghams love and respect for rivers and was a driving force behind his decision to develop the outdoor education program Rivers for All.

As a boy growing up in Siskiyou County, Paul Gillingham was surrounded by rivers. During his high school years, Gillingham participated in many outdoor programs and camps through the Siskiyou Family YMCA, including a raft guide course they offered. That course inspired Gillinghams love and respect for rivers and was a driving force behind his decision to develop the outdoor education program Rivers for All.

The mission of Rivers for All is to increase river access among local, under-served populations through low-cost, river-focused adventures that deepen connection to local watersheds and build leadership in our communities.

Having participated in cub scouts and boy scouts in his childhood for a combined ten years, Gillingham recalled that the skills he learned and fun he had with troop made him want to pursue more outdoor adventures. He also credits his father, Charlie Gillingham who volunteered countless hours to help with many boy scout troop activities with instilling a desire in him to help others.

After obtaining his raft guide certification through the Siskiyou Family YMCA, Gillingham worked at YMCA summer camps, taking campers on rafting adventures on Siskiyou rivers. Friends of his also worked as raft guides at the camps. After looking back on those times years later, Gillingham reflected, "Lots of youth groups came through the summer camp. Even though it was for them, we felt like we were the campers, and we learned a lot from them. We were super lucky."

Gillingham graduated from Yreka High School in 2008 and moved to Arcata, California, where he worked as a raft guide while obtaining his bachelors degree in environmental science from Humboldt State University. He was also co-director of a program through HSU called LEAP: Leadership Education Adventure Program. After earning his degree, Gillingham moved to White Salmon, Washington, and continued to work as a raft guide while honing other outdoor skills.

Though residents in Siskiyou County are accustomed to rivers - the Klamath, Salmon and Scott, just to name a few within the countys borders after Gillingham moved out of his hometown of Yreka, he witnessed firsthand that many youth lack easy access to rivers.He knew from countless hours spent enjoying rivers and all they have to offer, that those youth were missing out on the many lessons rivers can teach us.

Gillingham explained, Ive learned so much from rafting and being a guide: Humility, good judgment, decision making, personal empowerment, confidence ... the list goes on. The rush of navigating whitewater rapids helped Gillingham build upon other concepts that translate directly to the real world as well. I had to get comfortable with being scared, he said, and being OK with taking a risk and being OK with not taking a risk, too.

Out of his years of experience both learning and teaching in the outdoors, Gillingham said, "I wanted to create [Rivers for All] for other kids, as a way to give back."

With the help of his friend Heather and assistance from the nonprofit CultureSeed which helps passionate people raise money for projects and programs through seed funding Rivers for All was launched.

Rivers for All is currently working to raise $4,000 toward its goal for the 2017 summer season: To provide 60 local youth with a free rafting program on the White Salmon or Klickitat River in the Columbia River Gorge.

Three thousand dollars will go toward 60 youth rafting this 2017 summer, which equates to $65 per youth. As RFA acquires more gear and resources, the cost per youth will go down. The remaining $1,000 will go toward the printing cost of Rivers For All T-shirts which will be sold at rafting companies and RFA events which will generate more funds to help RFA expand its outreach.

Gillingham said he counts himself lucky to have grown up with so many opportunities for easy and free river access and that the more youth get to experience the joy and beauty of rivers firsthand, the better communities will come to understand the important role rivers play in our lives.

Rivers for Alls fundraising site notes, Local residents often dont have the same opportunities to connect with the rivers in their backyards yet they are the ones most connected to the health of our rivers. Youth that would benefit most from an "outdoor classroom often cant afford participating in recreation. We need your help to change that!

To donate to Rivers for All, visit generosity.com/education-fundraising/rivers-for-all-outdoor-education-program. More information can be found by visiting facebook.com/riversforall.

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