Kayak raffle benefits First Descents programs

By FAITH MOLDAN / Bigfork Eagle

When Terry Leonard met professional kayaker Brad Ludden about six years ago, the two became good friends. Now both men are doing their part to help young adults with cancer heal outside of hospital walls.

Ludden began the First Descents program in 2001. The program is designed to utilize whitewater kayaking and other outdoor adventure sports to promote emotional, psychological and physical healing for young adults with cancer, according to the program's Web site.

"I really admire and respect everything that he (Ludden) has done with this cancer foundation and am always looking for ways to help them out," Leonard said.

Wanting to help First Descents led Leonard to the idea of raffling off a kayak during the Whitewater Kayak Festival weekend in Bigfork this year. All the proceeds go to First Descents. Raffle tickets are $5 each, with 3,000 being sold. The winner receives a 2008 Dagger Mamba 8.0 kayak worth $1,000, which was donated by Sportsman & Ski Haus. The drawing will be held at the Garden Bar on May 24 at 10 p.m. Raffle tickets are available at Flathead Lake Brewing Company and the Garden Bar.

Second through fifth-place prizes are also available. The second-place prize is two kegs of Flathead Lake Brewing Company beer (winner's choice of flavor). Third through fifth-place prizes are varied FLBC merchandise.

"It was Terry's idea," Ludden said of the raffle. "He took matters into his own hands."

First Descents, a non-profit organization, offers nine week-long programs during the summer. The programs are held in Vail Valley, Colo. and in Kalispell. The number of programs Ludden and his staff puts on has increased each year, as have the number of participants. Each program is limited to 15 participants, ages 18 or older, and is free to all participants. They partake in kayaking, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, fishing, hiking and more. More information about First Descents is available at www.firstdescents.org.

"It's awesome when we have someone come to us and help," Ludden said. "It's such a relief."