whitewater connection

WWC 2008 Staff
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WWC Guides from Around the World: The Whitewater Connection River Guides will enhance your experience by sharing their passion for our rivers, and the ones they raft all over the world. For many years, in addition to our great guides from here in the United States, our rafters have also enjoyed the international flavor and cultural experiences provided by our guides from different countries. You can learn from our guides about the local history of the Gold Rush Era as well as information about the food, cultural events, river trips and hikes available in the foreign guide's native countries. We know you will appreciate the experience and skill of all of our guides as well as sharing cultural customs with them.

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WWC 2009 Staff

		Douglas McCormick Has been working on rivers for the past 18 years. A native Costa Rican, he learned to work in ever-changing and ever-challenging rivers and has spent the better part of the last 12 years traveling, working, and kayaking all over the world. Still chasing summers, Douglas makes his home in New Zealand during the off season; living the dream!
		Betsy "The Comm Goddess" Bowen Betsy has dwelled in Coloma for most of her life where she raised five kids(4 of which have or do work for WWC) and owned two of her own businesses. Shes a collector of vintage treasures, tacky crap and crazy costumes. If you need a rubber chicken shes got it! If there is a theme party goin on shes involved! Shes on a mission to see as much of this great planet as possible but in between she manages the store and commissary for WWC. “Life is good when you have a job where you don’t have to wear shoes” Fins Up!
		Joe “ Ramjoe” Wiesler The name says it all . Ramjoe has been around for, well , almost forever. He has been a mainstay in the Coloma valley for over 15 years. On Joes trip you just never know what he will bring along or what great adventures you and he will go on. Never a dull moment when Ramjoes around, he brings his “unique” wisdom on every trip.
		Kenna Barth Kenna is Whitewater Connections youngest employee. Having been born and raised in Coloma she is of course an aspiring raft guide. She hopes to be able to start attending guide school asap! So by time she's old enough she will be ready. Until then she's happy to set up your tents and pack your food. She Loves to work with her mom "the Comm Goddess" and all the friends she makes at Whitewater Connection, The perfect summer job!
		Jennifer Barth Jen a long time lover of adventure sports; including, but not limited to wakeboarding, surfing, and dirt bike riding, jumped at the occasion to add whitewater rafting to the list. However, when the option of combining both job and hobby arose, she leaped head first. An aspiring psychology professor, world traveler, and future raft guide, nothing can stop this ambitious broad from taking reservations, transporting rafters, and doing tow- out during the summer. Another daughter of the “Comm. Goddess,” she merely says, “If practice makes perfect and nobody’s perfect, why practice?”
		Tara Rooney O’Neil comes from an Irish descent, which explains her hard core values. A lover of water, she drinks like a fish, water that is. Extremely proud of her heritage, and of her ability to cartwheel down beaches, she surprises us constantly with her many talents. Tara is new to the whitewater Connection team; however, do not let her lack of experience fool you she is extremely knowledgeable in the rafting industry. Tara’s hilarious personality will lighten anybody’s day, so we tell her. After all her previous career as Blossom the clown, we aren’t making this up people, has taught her great skills for the kids, such as balloon art and face painting. We like to keep a variety of all types here at Whitewater Connection, which is why Tara will make a great addition to our family. Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.
		Lily “Buttons” Duncan: Born in Placerville, California, This 2nd year raft guide grew up swimming the South Fork of the American River as a kid. She soon found her passion for the river as she ventured toward Whitewater Connection, first as an office girl, and now as a trained raft guide. While this cute “button” face might look innocent and sweet, little do we all know that Lily has quite the adventurous side. During the off season, she spends her time cruising the slopes on her snowboard, as well as engaging in other crazy activities. When she’s not up and running, Lily attends classes at Sacramento State University as a mechanical engineering major. Hey, we can’t be raft guides forever.
		David “Zonker” Lewis: This native Canadian has traveled all over the world searching for new rivers and exciting adventures. Near and far, Zonker has journeyed to places such as Colorado, West Virginia, California, Costa Rica, and even New Zealand, all for one sole purpose, to raft some of the greatest rivers in the world. But when this die hard river guide isn’t on the water, he day dreams about playing professional ice hockey in the NHL. Lover of all forms of water, he even teaches snow boarding in the winter. Did I mention that he is also a certified chef and a fabulous cook? This chef is seasoned in more than just rafting!
		Jen Hall: Born and raised in the great central valley of the fabulous state of California, Jen grew up with hobbies such as football and cheerleading. It wasn’t until she traveled up north to Chico State that she discovered her passion for the great outdoors. Fireworks and confetti glittered the world that day! Now the environmental science major enjoys spending her rare spare time guiding on the South Fork of the American River, backpacking and hanging out with her lovely family. In the fall, she will return to one of the greatest cities of California, Chico, but for now you can find her stylin on the river and working on those awkward tan lines!
		Amy Krone: Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Amy was ready for some excitement when she moved to California four years ago to attend college. She is currently a student at San Diego State University during the fall and winter where she studies as an art major, and come spring, she goes wherever the world might take her. This summer, she landed herself in the Whitewater Connection office relentlessly answering phones as well as doing odd jobs around camp. This nouveau hippie spends the seldom spare time she has hugging trees, spreading love, and making art, not war.
		Caitlin Stahl: My name's Caitlin and I'm hot like the left sink handle (Coloma can be 100+ degrees!). I am one of the many disciples of the Comm. Goddess and I've been told I'm her star pupil; This year I’m heading up the Comm. as the fearless manager meaning that I'll be packing your deli lunch, prepping your steak dinner, and putting those extra chocolate chips in the pancakes with love. I haven't been around long, being just 20, but I know this strip of dirt and whitewater like a fly knows its bar!
		Nicole Tunnell: Nicole grew up on the central coast of California where she spent most of her time at the beach. Before moving to Chico for college, she worked as an ocean lifeguard for a number of years. She soon graduated with a biology degree in 2006 and quickly took the opportunity to become a wine chemist. After a few years in a lab, she realized that she wanted to work in an outdoor setting again, bringing her to Coloma to work as a river guide. This season is hopefully the first of many to come, as you will find that the American River is very becoming of this adventurous soul.