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Thanks to the support of more than 60 individuals and organizations, we were able to collect over $17,000--enough to pay for the new Hidalgo property and closing costs and to have $585.47 left over. Yesterday Tom Goynes, president of the Texas Rivers Protection Association, signed the deed, so the additional two acres of property (including riverfront immediately adjacent to the rapid) are ours. That means that we now own 12 of the 30 acres that we hope will someday be a showcase park for paddlers in Texas.
As part of the deal worked out with Jimmy Orlando, James Graham and Patti Carothers of SouthWest PaddleSports purchased a 16' x 60' mobile home on the property for $15,000 to be used as an instructional outpost. Without their support, TRPA would not have been able to purchase the property. We all owe them a big thank you.
Of course, because we spend about $600 a year to pay for our electric bills and property taxes, we still need donations. In addition, we have established a fund that will be used to purchase additional land as it becomes available. We are also looking into getting corporate support for improving the environmental quality of the property and for acquiring additional acreage. Such support will take some time to develop. In the meantime, you can send tax deductible contributions to the Texas River Recreation Association (TRRA), Tom Goynes, secretary-treasurer, P.O. Box 219, Martindale, TX 78655. If you do not itemize or do not plan for your contribution to count as a tax deduction, you can make your contribution directly to the Texas Rivers Protection Association and send it to:
Tom Goynes
P. O. Box 219
Martindale, TX 78655
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