David Kay, co-founder of Friends of the River – 1943 – 2016

David Kay started worked for the American River Touring Association (ARTA) in the late 1960s (right at the time when river running became a more widespread sport) continuing until 1978, handling marketing and education for them. He was a passionate and eloquent defender of rivers and wilderness, and from his ARTA base worked with Jerry Meral and others to put together Friends of the River to save the Stanislaus. Learn more about some of David’s work here  Read David’s obituary here.  Photos: Above, pictured with his son, Sean, upper left and in the ARTA office making calls. (Learn more about Sean, who carried on David’s river conservation work but tragically passed away in 2020 at the age of 53.)