Irving, Texas and Gondola Adventures Team up in Support of the Boy Scouts of America, Sam Houston Area Council

Business Wire, April 18, 2008

Irving Gondoliers Row Houston's Buffalo Bayou to Raise Awareness of Scout Fair

First Gondola to Row the Bayou

IRVING, Texas -- The Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau and Gondola Adventures have teamed up to support the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), Sam Houston Area Council (SHAC) with a gondola row along Buffalo Bayou on April 18. The gondola expedition is designed to raise awareness of the SHAC Scout Fair on April 19 at Reliant Arena. Irving chose to support the SHAC Scout Fair because the BSA and National Scouting Museum are based in Irving, and Gondola Adventures operates gondolas along the Mandalay Canal in Irving's Las Colinas. Additionally, this is the first gondola to row the Buffalo Bayou.

Irving gondoliers Greg Mohr (a former Eagle Scout) and Chris Harrison started the row at Allen's Landing, the historical birthplace of Houston, at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 18, in a Venetian-designed gondola named "Rosa." The gondola weighs approximately 1,500 pounds and is 32-feet long. They traveled a route along the Bayou towards Brady's Island, circled the island then returned to Allen's Landing mid-afternoon. The total row took about six hours and covered around 16 miles at an average speed of 3 mph.

The SHAC Scout Fair is the country's largest and the largest single event for the SHAC. The Fair draws approximately 40,000 Scouts, parents and visitors to see Scouting's outdoor classrooms in action with about 700 interactive exhibits. It will be held Saturday, April 19 at Reliant Arena from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and entry is free. The gondola will be on display in Irving's space during the Fair.

Located between Dallas and Fort Worth, Irving serves as the national headquarters for the Boy Scouts of America and the adjacent National Scouting Museum. The museum is a tribute to the rich history of Scouting, with hands-on learning experiences and a historical collection that traces the Scouting movement from its beginnings.

Web site references:

www.irvingtexas.com (Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau)

www.samhoustonbsa.org/home/events/ScoutFair (SHAC and Scout Fair)

www.gondolaadventures.com (Gondola Adventures)

www.buffalobayou.org/allenslanding.html (Buffalo Bayou Organization/Allen's Landing)