You've got questions? We have answers!*

*most of them are accurate, too!

General Questions

Q: Apparently, I have an infrequently asked question. Who can I ask?
A: For questions regarding the River Rally not answered below, you can contact Katherine Luscher at River Network's Portland, Oregon office. (Note: the inclusion of the state was done intentionally to remind you of the various time-zones that exist throughout the world. As a general rule, you probably won't have the opportunity to speak to Katherine if you call before 8am Pacific Time.)

Q: What is the River Rally?
A: The River Rally is River Network's premier annual event that brings together over 500 river conservationists for 3 consecutive days of education, inspiration and celebration. The location of the River Rally moves each year: in 2007, we were in Washington State; in 2009 we will be in Maryland. Staff, board members, volunteers, agencies, tribal representatives, and individuals interested in watershed conservation should all consider attending the event.

Q: How can my office or my family reach me at Sawmill?
A: Sawmill has both toll-free and direct numbers to call : (800) 729-6455 or (419) 433-3800. Better yet - why not make it a family vacation and bring them along with you?

Q: How should I dress for the conference?
A: Dress for the conference is casual - very much so. Some folks do choose to "dress up" (i.e., "River Formal") for the River Heroes' Banquet on Sunday evening, but there is no dress code for any River Rally-related event.

Q: What kind of weather can I expect?
A: The good news is that July is historically Huron's wettest month. And May? Well, May is the 3rd wettest month, with average monthly rainfall at about 3.5". So plan and pack for rain - but hope for sun. River Network cannot be held responsible for any inclement weather, though we are happy to take credit if it is sunny.

Q: Should I bring an instrument?
A: Yes - if you know how to play it. There are numerous planned and spontaneous opportunities to play music with fellow Rally-goers.

Q: Can I bring information to display?
A: Yes, River Network Partners are each allotted shared table space to display organizational information. However -- folks on average tend to bring too many materials; every year it is embarrassing the amount of paper we throw into the recycling bins. So, please, please plan accordingly. Though your materials are likely very beautiful and informative, not everyone will take them home. If there are materials left over Sunday night, pick them up before you leave and take them back home with you. Reduce, reuse, recycle. Save some trees. Bring less stuff.

Q: What is a Buckeye?
A: The name "Buckeye" presumably comes from local usage in the early days of the settlement of Ohio. An early botanist found a deciduous tree on the banks of the Ohio River, and added "Ohio" to the common name in order to distinguish this species from the related Yellow Buckeye. Reportedly, native Indians called the fruit of this tree
"hetuck," which has been translated to mean "eye-of-a-buck." Ohio is proud to be the Buckeye State ... and clearly, with good reason.<

Travel

Q: Where is the nearest airport?
A: The nearest airport is Cleveland Hopkins Airport (CLE), in Cleveland, OH. Just so you know: on July 1, 1925, Cleveland Municipal Airport - the first in the United States - opened amid great fanfare when more than 100,000 people turned out to enjoy the event, which included the first mail flight and a "flying circus" of planes with lit torches on their wings. To our knowledge, lighting planes and/or rivers on fire is now strongly discouraged in Ohio.

Q: Do you offer transportation from the airport to the conference facility?
A: River Network does not arrange your shuttles for you, but you can do so through Cascade Executive Services. Through CES, ground transportation is available for $ 49.00 each way. Reservations can be made through this online form and must be pre-paid.

Q: How do I get to Sawmill Creek Resort?
A: Safely, we hope. Directions to the resort can be found online at: www.sawmillcreekresort.com/map.html.

Q: Can I arrange carpooling?
A: Certainly, in fact, we encourage it by providing a discussion forum on our website to post your transportation needs. In order to protect the board from spammers, you'll need to log in to the board with username 'forum', password 'downstream', then create an account, before posting. Believe you me, it's worth it!

Q: What are Carbon Credits and how do I calculate my offset?
A: River Network has teamed up with Ohio Environmental Council and SOAR Energy to help make River Rally a carbon-neutral event. For the first time ever, River Rally participants can purchase Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), sometimes referred to as Green Tags, when they register for the event. RECs are created whenever a renewable energy source, such as wind or solar, produces electricity. Because these sources produce electricity without creating harmful emissions, the positive environmental qualities can be certified and sold as RECs. In addition to offsetting your carbon footprint, buying RECs helps create a market for more green energy generation. A stronger market can help create jobs, lower prices and a cleaner environment - and that's good for everyone. SOAR Energy is a not-for-profit cooperative, so you can rest assured that revenue from SOAR Energy's REC program will be wisely reinvested in their mission to bring green power, energy efficiency, and natural gas service to their members.
When you register for River Rally, you can purchase RECs for $.02 per kilowatt hour (Kwh). If you are flying, multiply the number of miles by 2 Kwh to get your offset. If you are driving, multiply the number of miles by 1.5 Kwh to get your offset. Then multiply your final number by $.02 to get the amount it would cost you to offset your travel. If you'd like to help off-set the carbon emissions from the use of your hotel room, each hotel room night is about 300 Kwh. Help us walk our talk and make River Rally a carbon-neutral event.

Workshops

Q: Can I submit a proposal for a workshop?
A: The open Call for Workshops closed on November 8, 2007. We received over 180 proposals for approximately 70 slots. All applicants have been informed of the results. If you applied but do not know the results, please contact Katherine Luscher.

Q: Do I have to go to the workshops for which I registered?
A: Nope. We do ask registrants to indicate their workshop preferences primarily as a way to roughly determine interest, and thus, appropriate room size. In fact, history dictates that most people don't remember what they registered for...and we're okay with that. Be unpredictable and decide on the fly.

Registration & Scholarships

Q: When will registration open?
A: It is our hope (and we don't think we are being foolishly optimistic) to have online registration open on January 14th. We would like to take this opportuniity to strongly encourage participants to use the online registration form as it greatly reduces our work-loads, holds you responsible for any typos with your name/address and as a result, increases the happy-index at the River Network office.

Q: What is the cost of attending River Rally?
A: Standard registration (three nights; double occupancy) is $750. The cost includes lodging, all meals from Friday's reception through Sunday's Banquet, and all workshops. Rates are also available for single rooms, group rates, one or two nights and workshops/meals only.

Q: How do I apply for a scholarship?
A: The scholarship process is embedded in the registration process. To apply for a scholarship, you must be affiliated with a River Network Partner, register for the River Rally and submit a $100 refundable deposit. Scholarships must be submitted no later than March 13, 2008. The average scholarship award is $250; travel and full scholarships are really, really rare. It is extremely advisable to not ask for more than the cost of your registration. Letters to all scholarship applicants will be sent by March 25.

Lodging/Roommates

Q: How are roommates determined?
A: Stochastically.
If you list a roommate and that roommate lists you, you will be placed together. If not, you'll be placed with another River Rally attendee of the same sex, and most likely leave with a new friend.

Q: I snore - do I have to pay extra if I need a single room?

A: If you cannot - or are not willing to - share a room for any reason, you will be asked to pay for the extra expense.

Field Trips/On-Site Activities & Facilities

Q: How are Field Trips being Organized?

A: Brilliantly! Thanks to the efforts of both the Lake Erie Soil and Water Conservation District and the Ohio Environmental Council, River Rally participants will have the opportunity to spend Monday, May 5 on one of eight available field trips. Please be forewarned that as they arrange travel in advance of the event, field trip fees are not refundable. That means, as an example, if you sign up for one and decided the morning after the banquet that you do not wish to go wine-tasting, we can not reimburse your money (hence, the "non-refundable clause"). Visit our Field Trip page for more information.

Q: Is there an on-site exercise/spa facility?

A: The Resort's 235-acre site provides a lakefront marina, restaurants, shops, lodging, indoor/outdoor pools and workout room...and, well, an 18-hole Tom Fazio Golf Course.

Q: What are the River Rally HOlympics?

A: River Rally 2008 is the inagural site of the HOlympics, so we're not even sure what it will turn out to be, but we do know that it will be filled with laughter and provided networking opportunities like no other event. Challenge a funder in a game of Cornhole and no doubt, you'll learn some fundraising tips in the process. The HOlympics will provide a variety of activities for River Rally participants to learn new skills (and yes, rigging Dutch Oven Cook-offs is indeed a skill, though not one yet mastered) and meet new friends. Visit our webpage frequently to see what new "events" have been added - or contact Matt Burke to suggest one of your own.

Q: Um - Cornhole Tournament? Please do explain!

A: Despite how it may sound, Cornhole is appropriate for all ages and skill levels. According to the American Cornhole Association, Cornhole is similar to horseshoes except that you use wooden boxes called cornhole platforms and corn bags instead of horseshoes and metal stakes. Contestants take turns pitching their corn bags at the cornhole platform until a contestant reaches the score of 21 points. A corn bag in the hole scores 3 points, while one on the platform scores 1 point.

Business Center/Internet

Q: Can faxes reach me during the conference?

A: Yes, faxes can be sent to the hotel's Front Desk at (491) 433-7610.

Q: What about Internet access?

A: There is secure, hardwire internet service available in the guestrooms for $6.95 per night or $13 per stay. If you forget your Ethernet cable, you may borrow one from the front desk. Upon your departure, should you forget to return the borrowed cable, it will no longer be considered borrowed; rather, it will be considered sold and charged to your room.

Q: Is there an onsite photocopying service?
A: Yes, copies are available at the front desk for $.15/copy.