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\n <\/div><\/div> <\/p>\n Hope Wanders and Taiters Kayak have partnered for a full season of good times for a good cause on the Great Miami River. CONTRIBUTED<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Paddle, party and Prince \u2013 the Purple Rain Paddle promises to be a good time for a good cause.<\/p>\n Hope Wanders and Taiters Kayak, in conjunction with the City of Miamisburg Parks & Recreation Star City Concert Series, will offer a concert float on Friday, May 22 on the Great Miami River. Paddlers will launch from West Carrollton and enjoy a scenic sunset paddle down the Great Miami River, arriving in downtown Miamisburg just as “The Prince Experience,” a Prince tribute band, takes the stage at the Ginkgo Amphitheater.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey can float on the river and listen, pull out and tailgate or sit in the amphitheater and enjoy the concert,\u201d said Jess Urton, Hope Wanders founder. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be so much fun.\u201d<\/p>\n The great outdoors was a life saver for Urton when she escaped an abusive situation with her then young daughters a decade ago. She is now dedicated to paying it forward through the nonprofit organization Hope Wanders<\/p>\n \u201cOur mission is to make sure outdoor adventures are accessible\u00a0to all, especially\u00a0women who have navigated\u00a0difficulties in life, and to create a supportive outdoor community for everyone,\u201d Urton said. \u201cI cannot say enough about how helpful being outdoors was, and still is, for me and I want to be able to connect women from difficult life situations with outdoor adventure.\u201d<\/p>\n The Purple Rain Paddle is a signature fundraising event for the organization as money raised helps fund adventure grants that enable women to participate in nature-based healing experiences, big or small, free of charge.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you know or are a deserving woman, please share a little about yourself and apply for an adventure grant that would cover the cost of one of our adventures,\u201d Urton said. \u201cEach one of our trips has a spot for a scholarship.\u201d<\/p>\n The partnership between Hope Wanders and Taiters Kayak all but guarantees a good time.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are 100 percent about encouraging people to try new things,\u201d Urton said. \u201cI want people to be using and enjoying the Great Miami River.\u201d<\/p>\n The Purple Rain Paddle is one of two upcoming concert floats including the Parrot Head Paddle on July 24. The beginner-friendly events are designed with safety as well as fun in mind. Urton is an American Canoe Association (ACA) certified kayaking instructor who provides on-land safety briefings and on-water coaching to help all paddlers feel knowledgeable and confident.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce they get out there, they realize they can do it,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd with each trip, their confidence grows.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond the concert series, Hope Wanders offers a full slate of paddling experiences for the 2026 season. With a large fleet of single and tandem kayaks supplied by Taiters \u2013 as well as life jackets \u2013 the paddles are accessible to a wide range of ages from children, their parents and, even, grandparents. For more information, visit https:\/\/hopewanders.love<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nFinding hope<\/h3>\n
Having fun<\/h3>\n