Chairman
and Founder, Race Coordinator . Clark
Eid Ph. D.
Clark
is the chairman and founder of the event and
is involved with all aspects of organization
and will also participate in the race as one
of two primary paddlers for Team
Double Helix. Clark's daughter, Amanda
Eid, has Rett syndrome.
Currently, he
is a Sr. Research Investigator in cancer research
at Wyeth, in Pearl River, NY. Clark and his
wife Mary Potter, have two children, Amanda
and Noah. Amanda has Rett syndrome. Clark
built the flagship kayak the Double Helix
in honor of Amanda.
As
the Race Coordinator, Clark organizes
sanctioning with appropriate groups and agencies.
He collects registration forms and waivers
for all teams, collects and forwards USCATM
insurance fees, talks to prospective teams,
assists with team formation for all teams.
Clark updates rules as appropriate. Obtains
necessary permits, acts as liason with community
groups, sponsors, rett families, and teams.
Family
Message from Clark Eid and Mary Potter
Event
Organizer, Media
Coordinator, Off the water & Website Updates
During the Race
- Mary Potter, Cheshire, CT
Mary
Potter assists with Event Planning, team assistance
& information, awareness of the Race and
Rett syndrome and maintains the Great Mississippi
River Race for Rett Syndrome, May 2001 and
the Mississippi
Challenge for Rett Syndrome and Leukodystrophy,
May 2003 websites. Mary's daughter, Amanda
Eid, has Rett syndrome. (And yes, if you are
wondering....Clark Eid and Mary Potter are
married to each other, and have been for almost
20 years).
Mary
updates all team locations and general race
information during the race as well as after
the race. Web design, layout, design forms/pages
as needed. Works as liaison with all team
members for web information. Mary
has a BS in Computer Science from the University
of Minnesota, Institute of Technology and
worked in big business in the computer field
for 10 years prior to being a full time mom.
Family
Message from Clark Eid and Mary Potter
Race
consultant - Kent Spading (St. Paul, MN)
Kent
is a race consultant for the Great Mississippi
River Race for Rett Syndrome, May 5-31, 2001
and additionally will support Team
Double Helix during the Race.
Kenton
grew up in Kasson, Minnesota where, after
he graduated from high school, began to work
in his father's construction business. At
age 24 he got the college bug and enrolled
in the University of Minnesota where he became
Clark Eid's long-suffering college roommate
and graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering.
Kenton
has canoed all over Minnesota and especially
enjoys trips to the Boundary Waters (Wilderness)
Canoe Area. In his spare time he is a volunteer
researcher for The International Group For
Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR). TIGHAR
expeditions have taken him to New Foundland
in search of the French aircraft "The White
Bird" and to Fiji, Nikumaroro, Funafuti, Palmyra
and Kanton Islands in the South Pacific in
search of Amelia Earhart's airplane.
Kenton
currently works (when he is not golfing) as
a hydrologic engineer for the United States
Army Corps of Engineers in St. Paul, MN.
Race
Director - Steven Landick (Michigan)
Steve
Landick is an acclaimed long distance paddler
and school teacher. Steve drafted the
original rules.
Safety
Officer - Elizabeth Tynan.
The
Safety Program puts in place a set of practical
safety rules to be followed during the event
and has clear procedures to be used in the
event of an emergency. The Safety Officer
coordinates with National, State and Local
Safety authorities during the race if teams
need assistance.
Medical
Officer - Jeffrey
Pastir.
Jeff'
originally hails from Roseau, Minnesota! He
currently works as a Staff Physician at HealthPartners,
Maple Grove Clinic in Fargo, North Dakota
and is also an Assistant Professor of Family
Medcine at the University of of Minnesota
Medical School! Jeff attended medical school
at the University of Minnesota in Duluth,
MN and University of Minneapolis, Minneapolis
(MD, 1989). Jeff
says his current hobbies include way too much
Scouting and most anything outdoors, music,
cooking!
Jeffrey
will draft a review of medical considerations
that might occur during the race. Will be
available for phone calls from teams while
they are in Minnesota.
Judges
Three
judges will be available during the race to
review team progress and team adherence to
all rules and the safety program. Judges can
penalize or disqualify a team or team member
from the race if Rules or the Safety program
is not followed.
Jim
Seymore- Special Events Director of the American
Canoe Association
Hal Marschall - National Staff of the Coast
Guard Auxiliary
Steve Landick - Race Director for our event
Official Time Keeper
- Don Keller, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Don
will be present at the start of the race,
to see all teams begin the race. Don will
assist with coordinating teams and assisting
each team at the end of the race, and will
officially record final times for all teams.
Media
Special
thanks to all teams, parents, families and
individuals - who coordinated with the media,
allowed for interviews, and sent us copies
of their pictures and bios from the website!
Thank You!
With
Additional Assistance from:
United
States Canoe Association - main contact: Jim
Mack. The USCATM has sanctioned this event,
and is working with the Guinness World Book
of World Records to confirm new records set
in this event.
American
Canoe Association - main contact Jim Seymour.
The ACATM has sanctioned this event.
Coast
Guard Auxiliary
Army
Corps of Engineers
Itasca
State Park, Main Contact: Michael Kovacovich,
Superintendent
Minnesota
DNR Trailways Office, Main Contact: Tony Walzer
Mississipi
Headwaters Board Main Contact: Jane
E. Van Hunnik, MS, Director
