Pelican International, one of the largest makers of plastics boats in North America, has partnered with River Sports Outfitters to support the Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville, TN.
Pelican and River Sports will work together to raise funds and awareness for the organization by donating stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and other plastic boats to Ijams for use in programs and by visitors and members. The two organizations will also co-host events throughout the year.
Founded in 1910, the Ijams Nature Center offers visitors 300 acres of protected land filled with rocks, rivers, trees and trails and populated by owls, salamanders and other wildlife. Guests of all ages and abilities can hike, bike, paddle, stroll and learn or simply enjoy the day. Ijams is a sanctuary where people come to connect with the natural world – and where living with the earth and caring for the earth become one and the same.
“Ijams is an exuberant celebration of the wilderness and a perfect blend of everything that Pelican and River Sports value,” said Kelley Woolsey, director of U.S. sales at Pelican. “This is truly a spectacular facility and our support and sponsorship benefits an organization that truly makes a difference and helps protect the wilderness that we all love.”
Pelican has long been committed to being an environmental steward. At its factory in Laval, Quebec, it recycles 99.5 percent of the excess material produced in its manufacturing processes. The plants is equipped with specially designed ducts that redirect heated air from their moulding ovens to heat the facility in the winter.
River Sports Outfitters has been Knoxville’s only locally owned outdoor store for 30 years.
