There's something therapeutic about paddling in a kayak out on the water, said Bill Butler, chapter secretary for Susquehanna Valley Team River Runner (TRR). The sport helps participants hone motor skills, requires focus and instills discipline. It also might save lives.

Founded in 2004, TRR has a mission to provide health and healing for injured military personnel, people on active duty, veterans and disabled members of the community. "Team River Runner literally started in an elevator in Walter Reed Medical Center," said Butler, a Manheim resident who helped start the Susquehanna Valley chapter in 2015. "Our executive director, Joe Mornini, was visiting a friend of his who had been wounded in combat." Mornini, a special education teacher, had used kayaks to help children to improve motor coordination and tackle emotional issues, and he invited the veteran he was visiting to try it out. The organization quickly grew to almost 70 chapters across the country.

Butler emphasized that while the program revolves around kayaks and other forms of adventure paddling, its mission is much broader.

"The kayak is just the tool we're using," he said. "The whole point of this program is to get our veterans who are having difficulty adjusting to life after serving out into the community with people who are like-minded and enjoy the sport."

Noting that 22 veterans a day die by suicide, Butler said TRR is working to address that concern. "We're hoping to reduce that number by getting veterans re-engaged with the community," he remarked. "Using a sport like kayaking helps them do that in a disciplined way, providing structure and way for a veteran to dip their toe in the water of getting back into the community."

An Operation Desert Storm combat veteran, Butler knows firsthand what it's like to return to civilian life after service. He returned from war with 80% disability and has difficulty walking or climbing steps. "You put me in a kayak, and I'm completely transformed," he stated, noting that he's seen the same transformation in the participants of TRR, many of whom become instructors themselves after going through the program.

TRR is also open to members of the community who have disabilities, and several of the Susquehanna Valley chapter's biggest events revolve around people who are vision impaired. Kids are OuttaSight (KAOS) provides paddle sport opportunities to children, with TRR veterans serving as leaders. TRR partners with VisionCorps in Lancaster to offer the program.

All of the programs TRR offers are free of charge, and the organization relies on community support as well as grants for funding. "It can cost $800 to $1,000 apiece for each kayak," Butler said, noting that the chapter currently has 23 kayaks. Additional equipment needed includes life jackets and paddles for each participant. Butler said that nationally, TRR hosts close to 3,000 paddle sessions annually, and the Susquehanna Valley chapter has served more than 150 paddlers to date.

He hopes more veterans will join the program, and he invites people to volunteer, noting, "If a kayaker wants to help, I'd love for them to become part of this and watch all the amazing things that happen out on the water."

For more information on TRR, email Butler at Bill.Butler@TeamRiverRunner.org or Jennifer Eaton, chapter coordinator, at jennifer.eaton@teamriverrunner.org or visit https://svtrr.org.