By Tom Bishop
Club Reporter
Red Bank Ruritan Club
It was a spectacular day with lots of excitement and a gorgeous summer Saturday for the 35th annual Kibler Valley River Run.
People attend this event from multiple nearby states. Approximately 140 participants entered the competition with some simply to race for fun rather than compete for the fastest time.
The whole Kibler Valley is taken up in this annual one-day event with many tubers in the river, family barbecues and picnics, tent camping and visitors in summer cabins.
The added water flow is provided by the Pinnacle Power Plant, which is operated by the City of Danville.
Saturday’s annual run resulted in a top time of 16.59 minutes by kayaker, Mike Amos from Mayodan, N.C. In the female kayak division, April Tuttle had the top time of 20.03 minutes. In the youth category, Joe Otto had the top time of 21.08 minutes.
The Kibler Valley River Run is sponsored by the Red Bank Ruritan Club in Claudville which uses funds raised at this event for various community causes, including local student scholarships, Ruritan summer youth camps, contributions to Blue Ridge Elementary School in Ararat, Hunters For The Hungry, Ararat Rescue Squad, Patrick County Food Bank and Soup Kitchen and needy children at Christmas.
This event is manned by 20-25 volunteers from the Claudville and Ararat communities. Roger Gammons is club president and Rachel White is vice president; both are from Claudville.
Other fund-raisers by the club include selling Polish sausage at the Mount Airy Autumn Leaves Festival, spring and fall Bike Rides for Kids and selling chocolate-peanut butter eggs at Easter.
