About the Race
The Race
The 9th Annual River Rat Paddle Challenge on our scenic Ouachita River will be held on September 20, 2025. Proceeds will benefit the Kiroli Foundation and ACE Charter School. We hope to have over 200 racers participating in this year's event. The race is 7.7 miles long and includes divisions for paddleboards, canoes, and kayaks (multiple lengths/styles) for men, women, and children. The Finish Line will be at Lazarre Park on the River with lunch provided by Trapp's.
*** MORE DETAILS TO COME ***
Access Communication Empowerment
ACE is an innovative, specialty charter school dedicated to ensuring students with ASD have every opportunity to become lifelong learners by providing an academically-rich educational environment designed to support the unique learning needs of its students, grades K-5th.
Kiroli Foundation
The Kiroli Foundation the Fiscal Agent for this year’s event and a Non-Profit of the City of West Monroe which helps support projects for all the parks in the city of West Monroe, including the Downtown Marina. Kiroli Foundation has a vision in serving the needs of the community by giving back to all the city parks to help with maintenance, and coordination of special projects within the park system.
Attention Rat Packs
The River Rat Paddle Challenge is not just about speed, but our ability to showcase just what makes our event so fun! Some of our most coveted awards are presented to Rat Packs who are, well, a little special! "The Big Cheese" is awarded to the largest Rat Pack (as measured by the number on your team), "The Speedy Gonzales" is awarded to the fastest team (determined by the finish time of the third team member). Everyone's favorite, though, is the "I Smell a Rat" (as determined by the amount of fun your team is having, costumes or theme, or however you show off your River Rat style). What is YOUR definition of a river rat? We don't hide our crazy around here! We put it on the river for all to enjoy!
CYPRESS CONTRIBUTORS
Marion State Bank
Community banking is not just what we do, it’s ingrained in who we are.
The primary mission of Marion State Bank is to serve our community by providing a banking experience you can trust. Marion State Bank offers financial solutions to help our region thrive. We stand behind our products with personal,
Ozark Bayou Society
The Ozark Society was founded in 1962 for the purpose of keeping the Buffalo River in Arkansas as a wild, free flowing river. The purpose was accomplished and the Buffalo River became the first National River in 1972. The North Louisiana based Bayou Chapter was founded in 1969 and is the only Louisiana chapter of the Ozark Society. We have over 100 members who are active in hiking, paddling and cleanups. Today our chapter's mission is to preserve, protect and enjoy our area's natural wilderness and scenic waterways through conservation, education and recreation. Learn more at wwww.bayouchapter.com and www.ozarksociety.net.
poolstage patrons
A full-service accounting, tax, and consulting firm committed to providing sound business advice and friendly, personal service. From our partners to our professional and administrative staff, there is always someone available to help you who understands you and your business.
Louisiana Delta Adventures works to bring “new dollars” into northeast Louisiana by capitalizing on agritourism, nature-based tourism, ecotourism and cultural tourism.
Our team is committed to the advancement of our customers, employees, and shareholders through the convenient delivery of financial products throughout Louisiana. Investment in the communities and individuals we serve is a priority as we promote economic growth. We provide professional, enthusiastic service that is truly uncommon by today’s banking standards.
At Progressive Bank our mission is to earn a return on equity (ROE) sufficient to attract and retain capital to enable us to:
Be the choice for financial solutions in the markets we serve;
Cultivate a dynamic working environment that encourages teamwork, life-long learning, and a sense of pride and personal fulfillment;
Contribute to the advancement of the communities we serve through our time, talents, and resources; and
Continually seek to enhance and reward the investment of all stakeholders, including our shareholders, employees, and business partners.
Plantation Manor Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, LLC is located in a quiet residential area of Winnsboro set back on Macon Ridge overlooking beautifully landscaped grounds for your safety and peace of mind.
We believe our staff makes the difference. Our supervisors and administrators expect more than mere technical compliance with governmental rules and regulations. They lead a team sensitive to the social and emotional needs of the residents. Consequently, our employees know more than their job—they know the importance of a kind word, a gentle touch, and the healing power of a smile. Our staff is passionate about Improving Quality of Life.
Sandbar Sponsors
Sponsor the River Rat Paddle Challenge 2024 and See Your Logo and Link Here!
Contact us for details: riverratpaddle@gmail.com
We commit service to and pledge protection for the citizens of Ouachita Parish in order to ensure a greater quality of life for each of us.
Making the World a Better Place to Paddle! Since 1880
Special thanks to the City of West Monroe for hosting our River Rat shenanigans! Alley Park in downtown Antique Alley is host to packet pickup, the Bayou D'Arbonne Boat Launch is our starting line, and Lazarre Park is where we finish and celebrate!
Davidson Consulting, Inc. is a full-service corporation that designs, markets and supports fully integrated Practice and Clinical Management Solutions for medical and facility practices of all sizes and specialties.
Holly Harbor is 1.5 acre peninsula lot on beautiful Lake D'Arbonne. The rustic cottage "lake-themed" interior family home boasts a large picture window facing the sunrise and a large back deck perfect for outdoor grilling or just bird watching from the porch swing.
At King Springs we are committed to conserving North Louisiana's natural beauty. Our facility recycles every possible component of our production process and we encourage the public to always recycle our King Springs bottles. Any waste water produced in our production is used for irrigation of the meadows surrounding our facility. Our commitment to the Louisiana's most precious resource it's environment will always be built into the foundation of our business model.
Special Thanks
- City of West Monroe
- Sheriff Marc Mashaw and the OPSO Reserve Unit
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
- Race Committee: Wesley Vanderhoff, Steve Birmingham, David Dupree, Scott Moore, Leslie Greene, Stephanie Herrmann and Maddie Cannon.