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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 2, 2007)
Page 14 Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon A ugust 2, 2 0 0 7 Rafting guides enjoy adventures of summer job B y Leslie M itts older on the river for a half-day or a full-day trip. Sp ilya y Tym oo T h ough business Varies at R ick D e ats and his w ife Kirsten Day have rafted rivers in Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Califor nia, and Colorado. They’re longtime fans o f the excitement o f large rapids, with the roar o f rushing waves and echoes o f cheers as passengers paddle through frothy white water. B u t the couple from Lake Oswego had never taken their Leslie Mitts photos songs on a river trip—-until re Luanne Foltz scouts the White Horse Rapids. This is her first cently, when they entrusted summer working as a guide. those at White Horse Adven tures to guide them. I t ’s no d oubt a d ifferen t scene than Butch David and Luanne Foltz see during most o f the year in the hallways o f , Je ffe r s o n C ou nty M iddle School. While they spend their days during the school year working in the education system, this summer they are two o f several local people taking tourists op guided rafting trips down the Deschutes. ' For the first-year guide Foltz, David serves as an example: navigating the river with ease while telling the passengers about life o n the reserv atio n , the names o f certain landmarks, and swapping fishing stories and laughs. T h is sum m er, B u tch and A ngie D avid are m anaging White Horse Adventures. Butch David works as a cul tural liaison at Jefferson County M iddle S ch o o l w hile * A ngie | David teaches second grade at Butch David is managing White Horse Adventures this Warm Springs Elementary. For those in the education summer with his wife, Angie David. This is David’s fourth year system, they said, this presents working as a river guide. an ideal summer job. - In fact; Butch David said, he drivers, who are responsible for Manion added. was first offered a jo b as a guide transporting the raft and its oc In addition to helping the through a fellow teacher four cupants to and from launch economy through employment years ago. points. O f the seven drivers, o p p o rtu n ities, M an io n ' e x “I thought it was a joke at six are tribal members. plained, “It utilizes a' resources first,” David said. Eventually, A t one point, the business that the tribes have that we cur-, however, he found himself be only employed a few guides,, rently hadn’t been exercising to ginning work as a river guide David said. its full potential.” with White Horse Adventures. However, he added, “As time Because they operate within It's not a job he takes lightly— went on we decided we needed the limits o f what is allowed with at one point, David wasn’t even more guides to have available.” tribal permits, the businesS does sure he wanted to be respon According to Jim Manion, hot negatively impact the envi sible so many people. who owns White Horse Adven ronment, Manion' said. Now, however, he serves as tures along with Kevin Light, Instead, the ability to put rafts | head guide along with M att they originally bought the busi in on private land allows them Manion. ness because it was in a state o f to bi-pass typically crowded This is Foltz’ first year work fluctuation. launch sites that other commer ing as a guide. Recently she “There wasn’t a high level o f cial rafting companies deal with. completed a two-weekend train activity,” Manion said. “It was The company, named for the ing required o f all guides. an employment opportunity, infamous W hitehorse Rapids, In total, white Horse Adven basically, for tribal members.” takes anyone eight years old or tures employs 12 river guides—- “We just basically try to em- half, are tribal members. The , ploy as many^ribal members as business also employs seven p o ssib le in th at business,*3. 4-H Culture Camp cancelled this summer times, David said, they’ve often had weeks with trips scheduled every day. i Òhe aspect that helps busi ness is the ability to cater to the guests at Kah-Nee-Ta, he said. Linking with their business provides a boost for local tour ism, David said. They have five rafts total, which allows them to accommo date relatively large groups as well, he added. Recently, David said, they took out a group o f 30 high school graduates from Crook County. “They were jumping from raft to raft, trying to take each other out,” David said with a chuckle. , It’s an experience that some even want to re-live— “We get a lot o f repeaters that come back and float,” he added. “It’s a pretty fun job,*’ David said. “I meet a lot o f interest ing people.” Recently he’s guided trips for people from New York, N e braska, and has even taken a girl from France, he said. Plus, it’s riot à difficult way to spend the summer, he'added with a laugh. “People ask, ‘How do you ? like your job?”’ David said. “I think, I t ’s not a job, man.’” B efore began guiding four years ago,. David hadn’t - really spent much time on the water. While he’d been fishing a few times, David- had never taken advantage o f what he feels is a great local resource. - Now he and his wife aré even looking at options for buying the business after taking an entre preneurship class through Eagle ' Tech Systems. It’s also a way to educate m e public about the reservation, David said. “We’re starting to get a lot o f H day cam ps behind the Boys and G irls Club (the Vernon Jackson Home) and the Education building. T h e day camps will be from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. fro m M onday, Aug. . 6 through Friday, Aug. 10. There will be no charge for the day camps. They are free to all youth in grades k-12. - Classes at the camp will be the same ones offered at the 4-H Culture Camp, and will include a few more exciting sessions. W&m Sprigs M a AH b ând Crâffo - ^¿L; thought it Was fabulous,” Day said. “We’ll be back.” “T h e ir know ledge o f the river was exceptional,” Deats addedr “They instill a lo t o f confidence with their knowl tribal "m em bers in te re ste d ,S f edge.” . David said. “There are a lot o f For more information, call things I didn’t know until I 5 5 3 -7 2 3 8 or v isit started guiding.” www.whitehorseready.com. Many people who take, trips t MILLER FORD-NISSAN Collision ù-tnter % 6.%- itfi, Inter-Industry Conference On Auto Collision Repair (l-CAR) op rrtM A utom otive Service Excellence (ASE) C ertified Com e se e us first We repair all makes and models! Let us help negotiate your vehicle damage claim We honor all insurance company estimates. Factory trained technicians, factory quality repairs & craftmenship, frame straightening rack, with laser precision body alignment. 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T h at’s why he relishes the opportunity to inform people about Warm Springs and sur rounding areas, he said. “That what I think every pro gram should do,” David said. His favorite part, however, is. working with people. “Plus, it’s hot a real jot$” he said. “You meet a lot o f inter esting people, great people.” For Deats and Day, their day spent on the water was an ex cellent addition to their vacation. WE BUY JUNK CARS Scrap Metal Used Auto & Truck Parts Wrecking Service Diesel Trucks Pick-ups & Cars 475-3861 181 SW Merritt Lane, Madras VISA
