Our Blog

Partnership Feature: Valley Friendship Club

06/22/202606/23/2026

As our Community Engagement team heads outdoors for our summer recreation programs, it is important to highlight the vast network of community partners we work with to ensure everyone has the ability to experience the Riverway. We are incredibly proud to collaborate with diverse groups like the Advancement of Hmong Americans, the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, the Boys and Girls Club of Lac Courte Oreilles, and the Indigenous Peoples Task Force.

Today, I’d like to shine a special spotlight on Valley Friendship Club.

Based in Stillwater, Minnesota, Valley Friendship Club provides a safe, inclusive environment where children, teens, and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities can build lasting friendships. For the last four years, our outdoor programs team has partnered with them to get their members out on the water, teaching them how to kayak and experience the joy of the river.

“Wild Rivers Conservancy has been an amazing partner in helping make the outdoors accessible to everyone. Their team brings the equipment, knowledge, and environmental education, while VFC staff provide the individualized support our members need. Together, we create meaningful opportunities for people to learn, connect, and experience the joy of being outdoors.”

Karen Keenan, Executive Director at VFC

Partnerships like this are how we truly live our vision: a thriving watershed, forever accessible, scenic, and wild.

As you enjoy the river with your own loved ones this summer, please think of the work the Conservancy does to ensure that every member of our community has that same opportunity.

Valley Friendship Club is a 501c3 nonprofit based in Stillwater, Minnesota. To learn more about all the great work they do please visit www.valleyfriendshipclub.org