Float-A-Boat Hosts May 7 Poker, Canoeing and Concert Event to Benefit Dog Rescue Group

Float-A-Boat Hosts May 7 Poker, Canoeing and Concert Event to Benefit Dog Rescue Group

Zach Donegan

Dust off your canoes and kayaks and start practicing your poker face to prepare for Float-A-Boat’s annual summer kickoff and fundraising event, “Paddlin’ for Paws,” on Saturday, May 7.

Float-A-Boat, which is located on Blackman Boulevard in downtown Wartrace, Tenn., rents out paddleboats, tubes, canoes and fishing kayaks. Outdoor enthusiasts are shuttled along with their aquatic transportation to the nearby Duck River or Normandy Lake to practice their boating or peacefully relax while floating down the river. For the third consecutive year, Float-A-Boat’s owners and animal advocates Kim Council and Gena Trice have partnered with the CG Freck Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works with and helps fund and educate no-kill animal shelters. Through cooperation with CG Freck, over 100 dogs have been rescued in the past year, each being relocated to a foster home.

“We’re 100 percent volunteer- and foster-based,” said Council when asked about CG Freck. “We don’t have a shelter—when we have dogs, they go to foster homes. One of the reasons we do events like this is because we’re trying to not only raise money for the dogs, but also try and find people to adopt them.”

Asher Cataldo

This year’s poker float, dubbed by CG Freck and Float-A-Boat as a “paw-ker” float and coordinated by co-owners Trice and Council and CG Freck board member Gayle Osteen, will follow suit of last year’s event with live music, poker, a silent auction and BBQ provided by Float-A-Boat and local sponsors. Asher Cataldo, Charles “Rabbit” Lewis and Zach Donegan, all area musicians, will be entertaining guests as they float, eat and collect cards. A $30 ticket will encompass the meal, poker float and boat rental but, due to limited availability, participants are required to register by May 2. As per Float-A-Boat policy, dogs float for free, and always will.

Just like a typical poker run, participants will travel down the Duck River while stopping to receive playing cards along the way in an attempt to have the best poker hand at the end. At the float’s finale, guests are treated to the music and food.

Check-in for the event will last from 8:30–10:00 a.m., and all boats will be in the water by 11 a.m. For registration and for more information on the event, contact CG Freck at (931) 619-6959 or CGFreck@gmail.com. To keep up with Float-A-Boat’s schedule and to plan for future events, follow them on Facebook, or visit floattn.com.