By Fiona Anderson
Triumph Media
When 96-year-old Hazel Amos steps into a Kumsheen Rafting Resort raft on the raging Thompson River this summer, she鈥檒l be hoping to accomplish three important feats: become a Guiness World Record holder, an inspiration for active living, and to simply have a really, really good time.
Amos is no stranger to the blue waters and rampaging rapids of the legendary Thompson, for the nonagenarian has done this at least 25 times over the years 鈥� and has become the oldest Class IV whitewater rafter in anyone鈥檚 memory.
鈥淎nybody can go to the park,鈥� Amos quips. 鈥淏ut this is way more fun.鈥�
Amos is issuing a challenge to other seniors 鈥� join her on the water on July 21 to truly experience one of British Columbia鈥檚 most iconic adventures.
鈥淚t keeps you young and don鈥檛 be afraid,鈥� Amos says. 鈥淛ust do it.鈥�
| Rafting on a fairly flat water section of the Thompson River, nearly Lytton, B.C., with Kumsheen Rafting Resort. |
Amos is a proponent of active living, taking up swimming in her retirement, working out into her 90s and even lifting weights. Being active, she says, is one of the reasons that she鈥檚 still healthy and has been on this earth 96 years.
So, how did the former farm girl become a whitewater addict?
It鈥檚 her son鈥檚 fault.
鈥淢y brother was working up-country on the railroad in the 70s and he always saw Kumsheen rafts in the water, and thinking it was a great thing to do,鈥� recalls Margaret Connors, Hazel鈥檚 daughter and a resident of Surrey. 鈥淲e did it a few times, and then it became an annual thing 鈥� it was just a really nice way to be with family. My mother and I would drive up there and spend the day with him on the river.鈥�
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Those days added up over the years, with dozens of family members heading to Kumsheen Rafting Resort. The resort鈥檚 founder, Bernie Fandrich, was there for many of them.
That鈥檚 why, this year, Kumsheen has applied to the Guiness World Book of Records to see if Amos鈥檚 rafting trip this year can qualify for an award. He expects an answer by about September.
鈥淲e call her Grandma Hazel, the patron saint of rafting,鈥� Fandrich says. 鈥淲e know she鈥檚 the oldest person to have rafted the Thompson River. We think she might be the oldest Class IV white-water rafter in the the world!鈥�
This year, the annual event will once again be a family affair. Amos will head to Kumsheen, near Lytton, from Surrey, and be joined by her daughter and her husband, son and daughter-in-law, a nephew and two grandchildren.
鈥淚t鈥檚 wonderful there,鈥� Amos says of rafting on the Thompson with Kumsheen. 鈥淓veryone鈥檚 friendly and very accommodating.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e done it at least 25 times and we鈥檇 love to be in the Guinness Book World Records,鈥� Amos says, 鈥渟hould it ever come to fruition.鈥�
