2011: Tom and Paula Goynes

This river has been so lucky to have people like Tom and Paula Goynes living near it. They moved here over thirty years ago and immediately started cleaning it up and defending it. They have organized river cleanups for decades, involved thousands of volunteers along the way, and made the river the recreational mecca that it is today. So many people learned about the river from these two, and how to paddle it and take care of it. The Water Safari was one of their passions and they’ve passed that passion on to a younger generation now. They have now expanded their work to all Texas rivers, through the Texas River Protection Association (TRPA) that has had some encouraging wins in court and administrative hearings. And TRPA has helped to create a network of email or listserve devotees who speak up when asked to! They continue to run a beautiful San Marcos River Retreat campground on the river which helps young people learn about being outdoors. They have genuinely spent their lifetimes taking care of this river now and for the future.