Good Member Guide
Thanks for joining Paddle Adventures *Plus. We are a kayak and canoe group that participates in fun events on and off the water. Being a "Good Member" means that you are taking a bit of ownership in the group and in what we do. We are a community, and our organizers are all volunteers. With the following guidelines, the group remains a safe place to meet new friends, make memories and have fun.

General Group Guidelines

Respect Other Members of the PA+ Community
We are focused on meeting in person. When you join the club, we invite you to post a picture – it puts a face to a name. We want to remember your name and a picture helps with that. Tell us a little about yourself, too.

The club’s attitude is influenced by paddlers who are generally accepting and tolerant people. We like it like that. As such, rude, hostile, demanding or disruptive behavior does not fit in. If members attending different events complain about the same person, or a bad attitude is apparent on the club’s web pages, that person’s membership will be canceled. We avoid discussions like religion and politics that tend to divide people as it conflicts with the goal of the group.

Respect other members and club leaders. Simple.

Please RSVP Responsibly
If you say you’ll be there, we will be expecting you. If you are a no show, the leader adds a “.” to your name on the site. Three “…” and you can RSVP only for events with an unlimited RSVP. To earn back a dot, PA+ posts events at which a member can volunteer to assist. If you are only holding your spot with a “Yes,” but have “Maybe” written in your comments, please confirm your RSVP 48 hours in advance to give others an opportunity to attend.

If the event is free or payment is not collected in advance, your RSVP is on the honor system. Again, if you say you'll be there, we will be expecting you.

Kids as Guests
Sorry, but ONLY children of members are allowed at events. NO guest children. Children are permitted at most of our events as this is a family friendly club. If stated in the event description “No children allowed,” please don’t bring them.

One of the most frequently posted question on events is, “Is anyone else bringing their children?” When RSVP’ing and adding your child(ren) as guests, please post that your guest is your child.

If an event is hosted by a private individual, it is their choice whether or not children are permitted.

PA+ leaders reserve all rights to remove members from the group. A member may be removed for:
* Inappropriate, mean-spirited, demanding or disrespectful comments or messages on the message board or to a group member
* Asking members for their email address for the purpose of generating a mailing list
* Pestering the organizer or a member by calling them during business hours or past 9 p.m. except for an emergency
* Endangering others or yourself on events such as standing up in a boat made for sitting only, consistently horizontally blocking the downstream path of paddlers, changing plans and/or making decisions on behalf of the group during an event without approval of the event leader

Note: We give fair warning if we need to remove you from the group, with the exception of bodily or sexual harassment or threats. In these instances, there will be no warning given as long as there is reasonable proof of harassment or threat.


Paddling Guidelines

What To Expect on Paddles – Teamwork!
The heart of the group is teamwork on the paddle events. Attending paddles implies that:
• you enjoy group participation
• you will help if able and when needed
• you will allow others to assist you

It is expected that everyone helps everyone on our paddles.

We believe in safety first. We use the buddy system on paddles by pairing up an inexperienced paddler with an experienced one, or hanging back with you if you need to make a pit stop. Paddling in front of the lead paddler defeats the purpose so please do not paddle past the lead paddler. Safety rules are covered before each group paddle. Each paddler must have a properly fitting life vest/ PFD on all events.

It is critical to understand that what happens to one of us on the river happens to all of us. For example, if the leader believes that a couple paddlers are tiring out, the whole group pulls over to rest. If one person flips, all paddlers remain in place for the duration of the rescue. When we are ‘out there’ we have only each other to rely on.

Does Your Skill Level Fit the Paddle?
Experience is not a requirement of membership - we enjoy teaching inexperienced paddlers. Last year’s newbs are this year’s trainers. Some events are appropriate for new paddlers, some will not. If you have ANY question about your ability to do a given paddle, ask! If a paddle event states, “Experienced Only,” there is no wiggle room. To attend without the proper skillset endangers you and those who perform rescues.

Paddling experience in the distant past doesn’t count as experienced by PA+ definition. It is as much about current strength and endurance as it is about skills. Someone who has paddled two to three times a week for a couple recent months has more experience than someone who paddled daily five years ago.

Many paddlers prefer calm waterways. However, if you think you would like to try more difficult runs, we encourage you do so when you feel you are ready. If there is any question, ask an experienced paddler’s opinion. The more challenging runs are not carnival rides and should not be taken lightly. Feel free, even at the last moment, to back down. Again, safety is a priority with PA+.

At each event, the leader is responsible for keeping the event organized and assumes a great deal of responsibility for the safety of the paddlers. If the leader believes someone should not paddle either because of their vessel or lack of ability, that person will not be permitted on that paddle.

Invitations to a private paddle or get togethers from people you don't know are considered unwelcome in the Meetup.com community. Anyone who feels harassed or threatened by personal contact from another member should report these comments to the Organizer.

Don’t Have a Kayak or Canoe?
The club will assist you by asking members to loan boats and gear but it is your responsibility, not the club’s, to ensure that you have a vessel on the day of the event. We also on occasion find an outfitter from whom to rent. We don’t mind loaning to “try before you buy” but after loaning several times, we strongly encourage boat ownership. We enjoy passing on our love of the sport but please don’t be a weenie and take advantage of our good intentions.

Cancellation of Events/ Last Minute Changes
If an event is cancelled due to weather, unsafe water conditions or other conflicts the event organizer will post cancellations on the website. Be aware waterway conditions vary greatly with rain or strong winds, and some cancellations may be last minute. Check the site before coming if there is any question. Generally, if the chance of rain is 80% or higher, the event gets canceled. It is your responsibility to check the site for any last minute changes.

Website, Meetup and Communications

Message Board Guidelines
Paddle Adventures *Plus views itself as a member-driven community in which its members should be made comfortable to contribute to, shape, and communicate with their community. The Paddle Adventures *Plus Message Board represents a wonderful way to do this.

The Message Board is great for the following kinds of posts:
* Share an idea, suggestion, or location for an event
* Communicate a message or ask a question about a scheduled event
* Find a ride or a carpooling buddy (you can also post these requests as comments on a particular event's page)

DO NOT use the Message Board to make rude comments about another member, co-admin or organizer or to be generally mean-spirited, demanding or disrespectful to others. The message will be deleted without notice. Continual problems with this will result in your removal from the group and banned from rejoining. This is a free club run by people who donate their time and money. Most members appreciate their work on behalf of others. If you don’t, this is not the club for you.

Waiting List
Paddle Adventures *Plus usually utilizes the “Automatic” waiting list function. This means that if you are waitlisted for an event, you will be sent an email when a spot opens up on a first-come, first-serve basis. Don’t be daunted by the number of members on the waiting list. We’ve seen lengthy waitlists move people to a Yes before and on the day of the event.

Event Notifications
Meetup.com will automatically send reminders. The best way to stop receiving these automatic emails is to edit your profile settings or respond “No” to the event. Many Paddle Adventures *Plus event leaders send reminders with more detailed info of their events.

Contacting the Organizers
Questions asked for information and comments are welcome! Questions about a particular event can always be directed to the event organizer via Meetup's contact form. Please note: When contacting an event leader utilizing the link via the event description page, the event information does not ‘come through’ with the email. For instance, an email asking if you can bring your dog will probably be replied with: “To what event?”

We recommend against posting your question in the "RSVP" section of an event; we may not see it until it's too late! Email event leaders with questions about an event.

Please keep in mind club leaders are volunteers. DO NOT call them during normal business hours or past 9 p.m. on evenings. Often a thorough re-reading of event details may answer questions you have.

Meetup’s Autosent Emails
You can control what communications you receive by going into your “Account” (top right of the screen, next to your name), then clicking on “Membership and Communication.” When you RSVP “Yes” for an event, Meetup.com sends bunches of reminder emails. They are automatically generated and beyond our control. Sorry!

Photos
We encourage members to post their photos to specific event pages for all to see and share. However, we understand that some people are not comfortable doing this. Participating in a public event implies permission for public photos. Although that is the law we will try to accommodate anyone who chooses to not have their photos posted publicly.