Join our Paddle Team!

Are you looking for a rewarding volunteer opportunity that gets you out paddling more, meeting community members, and helping people explore by canoe in our watershed?

What is Paddle Team?

The Columbia Slough’s Paddle Team helps lead our free year round paddle events. Events can either be public or private and includes paddles with local community groups, youth & student groups, and Cleanups!

You don’t need to be an expert paddler to join the Paddle Team. We provide training that will teach you everything you need to know, from how to give basic paddle instruction to serving as an on-water guide and safety monitor. 

If this all sounds great but you’re more interested in helping on land, we always need general volunteer help for event set up, registration, and clean up too.

Bilingual Volunteers

We currently offer paddle events in Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, and Zomi. If you are bilingual, in these or another language, we would like to offer more free paddles in your language. Your participation on the Paddle Team as a Bilingual Leader will provide more opportunities for community members to access the Columbia Slough watershed and have positive experiences in nature. Bilingual Leaders can earn a stipend for translating at events.

Watch a video about this program with subtitles in Spanish here and in Russian here

Read more about the Bilingual Leaders here.

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Requirements

  • Be 16 years of age or older

  • Be able to lift 20 pounds

  • Volunteer at least 2 events each year

  • Complete steps 1-4 below

Stay tuned for information for the 2025 season. 

Step 1: Watch the 2024 Webinar Orientations:

  • Spanish Webinar: Watch the recording here.

  • English Webinar: Watch the recording here.

Step 2: Submit the required 2025 Paddle Team Handbook and the Background Check to Valeria Villanueva at valeria.villanueva@columbiaslough.org.

Step 3 OPTIONAL: Attend the Paddle Team Q&A Webinar.

Step 4: Attend the 2025 in person Paddle Team training. The training is required for all new volunteers, and individuals who did not receive training in 2024. For those who received training in 2024, the training is optional.

  • Paddle Team Training: Register here.

  • Make Up Team Training: TBD

Step 5: Following the training sessions, you can:

For general questions contact our

Volunteer & Outreach Manager: valeria.villanueva@columbiaslough.org