Bob lives on the Applegate River and can often be found boating the waters of the Rogue Valley with his trusty dog, Blue. He started boating in 1980, shortly after graduating from Southern Oregon University. On one of his first trips down the Rogue, one of the boats in his party was stranded on the picket fence and was rescued by Willie Illingworth of Willie Boat fame. Bob said it left a strong impression on him to see a one-handed man perform a rescue that no able-bodied person in his party could do, and it left him with an ideal to live up to. These days, Bob is the one we all count on for support. He likes to run sweep and is always there to offer words of encouragement to newcomers, a strong back to tote and carry gear, a ready smile, and an endless supply of really bad jokes. He loves boating as a way to get back to nature and be one with the river, away from the distraction of cell phones and other entanglements of modern life. His other hobbies include gathering wild mushrooms and riding horses.
Home River: Applegate
Favorite River: Grand Canyon
Bob Burch, President
Greg Robinson, Vice President
Greg hails from Grants Pass. He is a big guy who likes big water – the bigger and splashier the better. His mantra is continuous improvement and he is always seeking to learn something new. Although he only started boating in 2011 and is a relative newcomer to the scene, his outlook on skills improvement has made him one of the more respected boaters in our group. He has taken classes with Otter Bar Kayak School, Northwest Rafting Company, and Riverstone Adventures and shines in them all, although his humble nature won’t let him admit that. He started boating in an IK, but these days you will find him almost exclusively in his SOTAR cataraft. When asked what he likes best about boating (aside from big rapids, of course), he says it is the camaraderie. Greg is a big guy with an equally big heart. Greg’s other hobbies include motorcycles and gardening.
Home River: Rogue
Favorite River: Klamath
Marianne Musitelli, Secretary
Marianne’s first love is her little orange whitewater canoe, Punkin, but these days you are just as likely to find her in its big sister, Punkin II, a large orange cataraft. She started boating in the late 80s with the American Red Cross Canoeing Classes and later became a canoe instructor for both the Red Cross and ACA. These days, although she still loves learning new things, she prefers to leave the teaching to others. Instead, you will most likely find her just hanging out with friends on a river, cooking with her husband in one of their many dutch ovens, and putting together fun trips for her river buddies. “Being on a river with friends just makes me happy,” she says. Marianne and her husband Cecil have a livery of 12 boats that includes catarafts, assorted canoes, and sea kayaks. In addition to boating, she enjoys travel, gardening, making jewelry, and exercising with her pals at the local outdoor pool.
Home River: Klamath
Favorite River: “The last one I have been on and the next one I am going to.”
Jody Bammann, Treasurer
Jody is the heart and history of our organization. She and her husband Walt have been boating “seriously” since 1985, although they admit to being in inner tubes prior to that time! In 1989 they helped found the local Umpqua Chapter of the NWRA, which later evolved into the main headquarters of the NWRA. Avid boaters, their livery includes rafts of all types, including oar rafts, paddle rafts, and catarafts, as well as hardshell kayaks, and a single inflatable kayak. Their boating resume includes most of the rivers in Oregon and Idaho, the Smith in Montana, the Thompson in Canada, the Gauley in West Virginia, the Salt, Verde, and Grand Canyon in Arizona, and a few rivers in Northern California, Arkansas, Alaska, and Bali. Jody says she hasn’t grown webbed toes yet, but she is expecting them any day. A retired nurse, she is a welcome addition on any club event, both for her warm smile and welcoming manner, as well as her down-to-earth attitude and calm ability to handle any crisis. Jody loves to travel, garden, and is an artist and loving grandmother.
Home River: North Umpqua
Favorite River: Middle Fork Salmon