THAYER ACADEMY 745 Washington St. Braintree, Massachusetts 02184 (781) 843-3580 Dear 8 th grade students and guardians, May 3, 2018 About thirty 8 th grade students and faculty enjoyed last year s white water rafting trip. This year we are once again offering the trip to celebrate spring! Imagine yourself plummeting through white walls of surging water or floating lazily down a crisp river. You will scream and laugh as you travel down the natural roller coaster ride that makes this rafting trip such a wonderful adventure to share with your classmates. WHEN: We will leave Thayer on Monday, June 4 th at 7:15 AM. After a 2½-3 hour bus ride, we will arrive at the Zoar Outdoor Center in Charlemont, Massachusetts. Once our day of rafting has concluded we will drive back to Thayer Academy Middle School with a stop for dinner. We should return to campus by 8 PM. COST: The cost will be $120.00 per person checks should be made out to Thayer Academy. This will cover the bus to and from the Zoar Outdoor Center, 6 hours of rafting on the Deerfield River, and lunch on the river. Payment is required with your sign-up. You will also need to provide your child with additional funds for our dinner stop on the way home from Zoar Outdoor Center. Lastly, there is an option to rent wetsuits at the Outdoor Center depending on the weather as well as an opportunity to purchase pictures of the boats going down the rapids at the Outdoor Center. ZOAR OUTDOOR: Zoar Outdoor pioneered the original white water rafting trips on the Deerfield River in Massachusetts. A Zoar Outdoor adventure is an active getaway in New England for your youth group, friends, and family. Their professional whitewater rafting guides have years of experience guiding beginners to experts down mellow floats to Class IV thrillers. Their highly trained guides, excellent safety record and state-of-the-art rafting equipment give you the security of knowing you are in expert hands on a Zoar Outdoor adventure. Their friendly, professional staff and a delicious homemade meal help create a memorable whitewater rafting adventure for you and your friends. CONSENT FORMS AND RELEASES: We are asking guardians of participants to sign release and acknowledgment of risk forms for Zoar Outdoor and Thayer Academy. Please return the 2 RELEASE FORMS, PARTICIPATION FORM, and CHECK to the Middle School Office no later than Friday, May 18 th. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me, (781) 664-1638, or riskra@thayer.org Richie Iskra
Zoar Outdoor The Zoar Gap trip will raft a ten-mile section of class II and III whitewater on the Deerfield River in Northwestern Massachusetts. What To Wear Please leave any and all valuables as well as your dry clothes for after the trip on the bus. Expect that everything that you bring with you on the raft will get wet. You should bring the following with you for your trip: - Wool or fleece sweater and windbreaker or nylon jacket (Spring and Late Fall trips). - Long pants made of wool, nylon, or polypropylene (Spring and Late Fall trips). - Wool or synthetic socks (Spring and Late Fall trips). - Sneakers or other shoes that can get wet (Please DO NOT wear flip-flops or crocs) - A change of clothes and a towel for after the trip! - Extra money for T-shirts, photos, snacks, coin-op showers, etc... - Required medications Cotton Clothing such as blue jeans, sweatshirts, or t-shirts, is not appropriate for rafting since cotton will stay wet and keep you cold. Wool, nylon, or polypropylene clothing is ideal. These materials will wick the water away from your skin and will keep you warm when it's wet. All Guests will be required to wear a Zoar Outdoor issued PFD (Personal Floatation Device) and Helmet. Wetsuit Options $20 wetsuit, booties, jacket $10 wetsuit $5 booties $5 jacket
PARTICIPATION FORM FOR WHITE WATER RAFTING Monday, June 4 th 2018 YES, I WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WHITE WATER RAFTING TRIP. STUDENT NAME: (PLEASE PRINT) I AM ENCLOSING A CHECK MADE OUT TO THAYER ACADEMY FOR $120.00 FOR THE COST OF THIS TRIP PARENT SIGNATURE DATE PARENT PRINTED NAME Zoar Outdoor and Thayer Academy require a signed Release and Assumption of Risk form. Please return both signed release forms with this slip. PLEASE RETURN YOUR FORMS AND CHECK TO MR. ISKRA BY FRIDAY, May 18th.
THAYER ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIAL TRIP CONSENT, RELEASE AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK Student Name Date I hereby give my son/daughter permission to attend: Event : White Water Rafting Date of event: June 4 th, 2018 Place: Zoar Outdoor Center Time: 7:15 am 8:00 pm Please complete this permission slip as well as the information for Zoar Outdoor. I understand that All Thayer Academy rules will be in effect throughout the event with a relaxed dress code, but still in appropriate attire for a middle school trip. I realize that on any such special trip certain risks are present that could cause my child discomfort, loss or damage of property, personal injury, or even death. I hereby state that I am willing to assume those risks and will hold Thayer Academy, its employees, directors and associates, harmless from any and all liability or claims that may arise in connection with my child s participation in this event. THIS CONSENT, RELEASE AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK IS FULLY UNDERSTOOD AND VOLUNTARILY SIGNED WITHOUT RESERVATION. Student Name Printed: Parent/Guardian Signature: (Parent/Guardian PRINTED NAME) Date: Contact Phone Number for trip:
WHITEWATER INSTRUCTION DATE PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT, RELEASE, AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RISK In consideration of the services of Zoar Outdoor Adventure Resort, Inc., their agents, owners, officers, volunteers, participants, employees, and all other persons or entities acting in any capacity on their behalf (hereinafter collectively referred to as "Zoar"), I hereby agree to release and discharge Zoar, on behalf of myself, my children, my parents, heirs, assigns, personal representatives and estate as follows: 1. I acknowledge that my participation in outdoor adventure-based activities such as zip line canopy tours, biking, river rafting, canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and rock climbing entails known and unanticipated risks which could result in physical or emotional injury, paralysis, death, or damage to myself, to property, or to third parties. I understand that such risks simply cannot be eliminated without jeopardizing the essential qualities of the activity. Furthermore, Zoar guides, instructors, facilitators have difficult jobs to perform. They seek safety, but they are not infallible. They might be unaware of a participant's fitness or abilities. They might misjudge the weather, the elements, or the terrain. They may give inadequate warnings or instructions, and the equipment being used might malfunction. 2. I expressly agree and promise to accept and assume all of the risks existing in this activity. My participation in this activity is purely voluntary, and I elect to participate in spite of the risks. 3. I hereby voluntarily release, forever discharge, and agree to indemnify and hold harmless Zoar from any and all claims, demands, or causes of action, which are in any way connected with my participation in this activity or my use of Zoar's equipment, vehicles, facilities, or premises before, during, and after this activity including any such claims which allege negligent acts or omissions of Zoar. 4. Should Zoar or anyone acting on their behalf, be required to incur attorney's fees and costs to enforce this agreement, I agree to indemnify and hold them harmless for all such fees and costs. 5. I certify that I have adequate insurance to cover any injury or damage I may cause or suffer while participating, or else I agree to bear the costs of such injury or damage myself. I further certify that I have no medical or physical conditions which could interfere with my safety in this activity, or else I am willing to assume -- and bear the costs of -- all risks that may be created, directly or indirectly, by any such condition. 6. In the event that I file a lawsuit against Zoar, I agree the Venue of any dispute that may arise out of this agreement or otherwise between the parties to which Zoar or its agents is a party shall be either the town of Charlemont, Massachusetts Justice Court or the County or State Supreme Court in Franklin County, Massachusetts. I further agree that the substantive law of Massachusetts shall apply in that action without regard to the conflict of law rules of that state. I do hereby consent to the use of my image by Zoar Outdoor for any and all purposes, including without limitation video, still photographs, publication, and any trade or advertising purposes, providing such uses are not made so as to constitute a direct endorsement of any product or service. I agree to release and hold harmless the Town of Rowe for use of Pelham Lake. By signing this document, I acknowledge that if anyone is hurt or property is damaged before, during or after my participation in this activity, I may be found by a court of law to have waived my right to maintain a lawsuit against Zoar on the basis of any claim from which I have released them herein. I have had sufficient opportunity to read this entire document. I have read and understood it, and I agree to be bound by its terms. I hereby declare that I am not under the influence of, nor will I use any recreational drugs or alcohol, while participating in any activity at Zoar Outdoor. Signature of Participant: Print Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: Email address: Don t forget to fill out the back.
WHITEWATER INSTRUCTION DATE MEDICAL INFORMATION DO YOU HAVE ANY PREEXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS? (Please list conditions such as allergies, recent surgery, conditions that require medication, circulatory or respiratory conditions, and any other conditions that you may have.) NO YES IF YES, PLEASE EXPLAIN: DUE TO HEALTH RISKS, PREGNANT WOMEN WILL BE PROHIBITED FROM PARTICIPATING IN ZOAR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. The following statement is required by state law: "Before placing your order, please inform your server if a person in your party has a food allergy." We do not use nuts in our food, but can not guarantee that the ingredients in our meals do not contain nuts or other food allergens. If you have food allergies or other special dietary needs, we strongly suggest you bring your own bag lunch in nonglass containers and we will pack it with the other lunches on your trip. Please inform our staff if you intend to do this. PARENT'S OR LEGAL GUARDIAN'S ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION (Must be completed for participants under the age of 18) In consideration of (print minor's name) ("Minor") being permitted by Zoar to participate in its activities and to use its equipment and facilities, I further agree to indemnify and hold harmless Zoar from any and all claims which are brought by, or on behalf of Minor, and which are in any way connected with such use or participation by Minor. I understand and agree that Zoar Outdoor can not be responsible for supervision of minors when they are not actively participating in our programs. At all times, supervision of minors is the responsibility of the group leaders, parents or guardians. Parent's or Legal Guardian's Signature: Print Name: 8/9/15 lilac