June / July 2026
Volume 27, Number 6 June/July 2026
The Oregon Whitewater Association brings private boaters together for the enjoyment of whitewater boating. Our vision is to promote whitewater safety and training for all of our membership in an effort to provide safety awareness and confidence when executing river rescue skills. OWA is the community of choice where fun and river adventures thrive and where people and rivers connect.
In Memoriam - Jerry Malloy
Jerry Malloy, a longtime member of OWA, NWRA and WKCC, passed away in May 2026. Jerry suffered a medical emergency while scuba diving near Channel Islands National Park in California.
A very content Jerry Malloy near Redwall Cavern in the Grand Canyon from April, 2026
Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Jerry was drafted into the U.S. Army around 1970. He later graduated from Moorpark College in 1979 and John Muir College at UC San Diego in 1981. After a 27 year career with Hewlett-Packard, Jerry retired four years ago and made his home in Albany, Oregon. He is survived by his daughter, Katherine Malloy, and his brother, Mike Malloy.
Jerry had a zest for life and the experiences it presented. The spirit of adventure ran in his veins. Just in the last year, Jerry was diving along the Channel Islands, rafted the new Upper Klamath River and Grand Canyon back in April, traveled to Thailand for a month late January. He rafted the Rogue River last Fall and floated the Alsek River through Kluane Nat. Park in the Yukon last Summer. And another trip on the Grand Canyon in the Spring of 2025.
Beyond his love of rivers, Jerry was an avid music fan who rarely missed the chance to attend concerts and live performances, either in his local community or as far away as Las Vegas.
Jerry had kept accurate data and knowledge of all the rivers he had run and was more than happy to share his knowledge with other boaters. Jerry was regularly seen on OWA day trips or the Christmas party in December.
Ahoy Malloy!
Photo and bio submitted by Scott Harvey.
If you want to have your favorite river picture featured, send it to .
Contact Information
Your OWA Officers and Volunteers
OWA Board of Directors
Steve Adams, President
Meredith Brezinski, Vice President - Events
Karl Mitsch, Vice President - Newsletter
Justin Richard, Secretary
Doug Smith, Treasurer
Tom Riggs, Membership Director
Jason Urasky, Technology Director
William Brezinski, Training Director
OWA Volunteers
Scott Harvey, Trip Coordinator, Newsletter Editor
Cary Solberg, Advertising Editor
Scott Ogren, Webmaster
Steve Oslund, First Aid Kits
Bruce Ripley, Safety Auction Lead
Matt Saucy, Boating 101 Lead
Jared Linkhart, Safety Training Associate
President's Corner
Next OWA Meeting
Event: September Club Meeting & Gear Swap
Location: Willamette Park, West Linn OR
Date: Wednesday, September 9th, 2026
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
Topic: Social Evening Get Together and Gear Swap with Fellow OWA Members. Flying Pie Pizza will be Served. Please bring your own Refreshments.
Meeting Details: Hey OWA club members, rain or shine, we'll be kicking off the September Club Meeting this month at an outdoors location at Willamette Park in West Linn. The meeting area will be at the Willamette Main Shelter near the corner of 12th St and Volpp in West Linn. This will also be a used Gear Swap, so bring your used or new boating and camping gear that you no longer use. Buy, sell, trade your used boating gear or donate your used gear to other club members who are just starting out. You can also just come out and browse through the items being offered from other club members. There will be a formal speaker for this social gathering. We have tentatively arranged to have Master Falconer Kate Marden show a couple of her birds and talk more about them. Please leave your dog either at home or in the car during this birds of prey presentation. Bring your own camp chair if you'd like and join the end of summer with fellow club members. There will be Flying Pie Pizza provided by the club. There will be no soda refreshments availible this year, so please bring your own favorite refreshments. Note: West Linn Parks do not allow alcohol. So please use good judgement when bringing your own refreshments.
Speaker: To Be Announced
Business: Up-coming River Trips and Events
Wilderness First Aid Training
Do you know of a speaker for one of our monthly meetings?
Do you know someone engaging, entertaining, and full of knowledge who you would like to hear speak at a club meeting? Any club member who successfully connects OWA with a speaker for one of our meetings will be entered into a prize drawing for a $75 gift certificate to one of our sponsors. Club members who give a presentation will also be entered into a prize drawing. To discuss a potential speaker, email .
Special Features
Stay safe and healthy on the river and be prepared for emergencies.
Do you have a trip coming up? OWA has two extensive Wilderness First Aid kits and AED’s that go on all club trips and are available for club members to take on private trips. You can check them out by sending an email to .
Recipe of the Month
Knot of the Month
Do you have something to share with the OWA community through the newsletter?
Do you want to share the tale of your latest multi-day rafting adventure or just the basics of your recent day run? Do you have a recipe your river friends must try? Is there other river-related content you want to share? Any club member who submits written content published in the newsletter will be entered into a prize drawing for 1 of 2 $75 gift certificates to one of our sponsors. Submitting photos gets you a chance to win 1 of 2 $25 gift certificates. To submit newsletter content or photos for our social media accounts, email .
OWA has a Facebook group exclusively for members. It is a great place to connect with other members to meet up at the river or exchange gear tips. Anyone can follow the OWA Instagram page.
OWA is an affiliate member of American Whitewater. OWA members receive a $10 discount off of individual membership. American Whitewater is a national non-profit 501©(3) river conservation organization with a mission is to protect and restore America’s whitewater rivers and to enhance opportunities to enjoy them safely. Click the Logo to visit the AW website and learn more.
Here are some more shots of Jerry Malloy on a recent trip down the Alsek.
