A Very BADGER® Christmas - What We Couldn't Tell You Until Now

First off, we want to say that we hope you had a wonderful holiday season with your friends and families. It was certainly a festive Yule for us here in the Badger® sett. A busy one too. In fact, Fiona and Mike were dealing with one last minute paddle order while the Christmas turkey was cooking in the oven for our festive family dinner!

A Very BADGER® Christmas

While we would not usually choose to work during such an important family holiday, we didn't feel there was any other choice when the folks who reached out to us had to postpone their own Christmas celebrations due to the big ice storm in Toronto. They had lost power (for days) after starting the process of purchasing a very special paddle as a gift for their loved one and could not complete the gift receipt purchase. Their lives turned upside down by the storm, they contacted us as soon as they had power again (which happened to be the day of our own family celebrations) to finalize the transaction.

Needless to say, our hearts went out to them. So while Poppa Badger carved the turkey, the gift note was completed and sent. There wasn't a dry eye in the house when, just as we were about to sit down to for our festive celebrations, Fiona told us (with teary eyes) about the personalized message the family had requested be included as part of the personalized gift note card. Part of it read:

"Nanny wanted to give you a special gift to remember her by, something that you would be able to keep for life.  We chose a canoe paddle because you are part Canadian, and every Canadian should have their own paddle. This paddle was chosen because it is hand made especially for you.  Nanny said, you better take care of it!   :) When you hold this special paddle in your hands, remember how special she thought you are."

So while this gift note was meant to be a very special present for a very special grandson in memory of a very special matriarch, in the end, the message was also a very special gift to our family... To bear witness to such a beautiful testament of love and remembrance. We were all deeply touched by the words and the story of the people behind them as well. It will be a true honour for us to work with this family to create a such a valued and important family heirloom. We will be sure to tell them, as well, how much their story truly touched our family this holiday season and helped to make our Yule one that we will never forget!

This year we offered a personalized gift note/receipt option
for those who wanted to gift a paddle in time for Christmas
using our online gift store: http://badgergiftshop.ca

But really, the Christmas stories started weeks before the turkey dinner was in the oven. However we couldn't tell you about any of them until the gifts were given and the paddles unwrapped. Now, (finally!) here are a few of the standout projects we worked on to put under a few of your trees this year:

Each of these young ladies woke up to a colourful Cub WaterColour under their tree on Christmas morning...

This hand painted paddle by Fiona depicts a sitting Raven silhouetted against a winter sky...

This special paddle names the lake at their family cottage and was a surprise for somebody under the tree this year...

This laser engraved rustic edge BADGER® cutting board was a personal gift and surprise for our friends Preston and Nancy (of Portageur.ca) this Christmas...

A photocopy of a picture of a tattoo became a hand painted canoe paddle for Caleb this year. We can't help but really dig this tattoo and hoped that Caleb would really dig his paddle!

Thanks to everyone who contacted us this holiday season to create something special for your friends and loved ones for the holidays and in the New Year. We were really excited to create all of the wonderful personalized messages for your gift cards and are eager to work with everyone on their paddle preferences in time for Spring. Thanks as well to all customers past and present, to our friends, family, and the paddling community at large.... We are truly grateful to be a part of your lives. Thanks for letting us into your homes and into your canoes. We hope you had a great Yule. We also wish you all good health and many wonderful outside adventures in the new year. Hopefully we will see you on the water.... or the portage trail in 2014. Safe travels everyone!

And the verdict is.... Hey Mikey, he likes it!

Wanna thank bobbo at @Swift_Canoe and @BadgerPaddles for this awesome xmas present! #newbadger #thanksbobbo pic.twitter.com/3S8z9niQFh
— Caleb Cameron (@calebcameron10) December 25, 2013

Paddle In The Park Contest: Coming June 28th To A Portage Near You

We haven't done a contest in a while, but this year we have partnered up with some of the best leaders in the paddle sports industry to get more people "Out There". We have also compiled 9+1 rewards and reasons to spend everyday in the wilderness this summer. Visit the Paddle In The Park Contest website for more information and how to enter to win some great prizes including paddles, repair kit(s), yoke pad(s), map case(s), Hap Wilson print(s) and more!

http://paddleintheparkcontest.ca/

"There has never been a greater need for society to unplug and reconnect all at the same time. The PaddleInThePark contest was created to remind people of the many rewards of getting outside, from our health and well being, to supporting our parks and wild places. What better way to do this than with a chance to find a handcrafted (Badger®) paddle, hidden somewhere in parks across Ontario? Hopefully this will encourage more people to get Out There. The contest runs until September 15th or until all the paddles are found – which ever comes first."

Starting on Friday, June 28th, 2013 there are 6 (six) Badger® Canoe Paddles (hidden by Hap Wilson, Kevin Callan, and Preston Ciere) along undisclosed portage trails in Algonquin, Temagami and Killarney

• Clues to their specific location will be offered throughout the summer, becoming increasingly specific
To follow along for the latest hints and clues to paddle locations, visit the Paddle In The Park website or find us on Facebook and Twitter.

• The contest will also include draws to take place each time a paddle is found for those following along at home.

• Once you find a paddle, contact us and we’ll send you the rest of the prize package and pick another lucky winner for our corresponding draw.

• Prizes, besides the hidden paddles, include signed books by authors Kevin Callan, Hap Wilson, and Laurie Ann March along with prizes provided by Portageur.ca, Jeff’s Map, North Water, Swift Canoe, Algonquin Outfitters, Keyak, Hooligan Gear and more!

Paddle In The Park Contest Website: http://paddleintheparkcontest.ca/
Paddle In The Park on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PaddleInTheParkContest
Paddle In The Park Contest on Twitter: http://twitter.com/PaddleInThePark

THE REWARDS ARE "OUT THERE"!

The Stern Fathers

In today's modern world, a child still looks upon nature as a great mystery but with an immense disconnect. Good fathers put a child in the bow of their canoe and steer the investigation to ensure that immutable link to our natural world is established and understood. These are the "Stern Fathers".

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"Must we always teach our children with books? Let them look at the stars and the mountains above. Let them look at the waters and the trees and flowers on Earth. Then they will begin to think, and to think is the beginning of a real education." ~ David Polis

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Daddy-Daughter Canoe Session with Fat Paddler from Fat Paddler on Vimeo.
Awaking in the dark, daddy and his nearly 7 year old daughter head off for a canoe adventure in the nearby Ku-ring-gai National Park. An adventure of discovery, bonding, and of course a hot breakfast out in the bush!

Proudly brought to you by FatPaddler.com and BADGER® Paddles.

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Your deepest roots are in nature.  No matter who you are, where you live, or what kind of life you lead, you remain irrevocably linked with the rest of creation." ~ Charles Cook

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So paddles up in gratitude to all the Fathers (like Poppa Badger!) who took their place at the stern and escorted us to those wild places, and who taught us that Nature is our teacher. A special thanks, also, to Sean Smith (a.k.a. The Fat Paddler) and his adorable daughter Gracie for sharing one of their very special and inspirational adventures, all the way from Australia, in honour of Father's Day. Plus an extra special thanks to our Mike for being Makobe's special friend, his protector, and his teacher - you are an exceptionally kind and loving Father to a boy with many exceptionalities. You, Mike, are truly a hero to me... and to your son.

Written by Fiona Westner-Ramsay

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day Poppa!