Veterans Sportsmen Association Brings Back the Wappingers Creek Water Derby for Its 51st Running

The Veterans Sportsmen Association (VSA) is gearing up for the 51st running of the Wappingers Creek Water Derby, a springtime paddling race with deep roots in Dutchess County's veteran community. Todd Dillon, a founding member and key organizer of the VSA, has been instrumental in reviving and expanding both the derby and the organization's broader programming for veterans across the Hudson Valley.

About the Veterans Sportsmen Association

Founded in 2020, the VSA is a local veterans nonprofit based in Pleasant Valley, New York, located in the Veterans OneSource Resource Building on Route 44, across from Civil Armory. The organization serves veterans, active duty military, retirees, and disabled veterans through outdoor sporting activities and community events. It is 100% volunteer-run and completely self-funded through grants, fundraising events, and participant fees.

"We're veterans serving veterans," said Dillon. "We don't receive any money from any large corporations. We don't get anything from the government. We do all of our own fundraising, and then we turn around and use that money to help the veterans the best we can."

The VSA currently has over 170 members and offers programs ranging from kayaking and canoeing to a skiing and snowboarding program called SHREDvets, which provides free lift tickets, rental equipment, and lessons to veterans at local mountains. The organization also runs firearms training and self-defense courses open to the public, and recently launched a fishing program in both New York and Pennsylvania. A second VSA chapter was established in the Milford/Matamoras, Pennsylvania area in 2024.

The History of the Wappingers Creek Water Derby

The Water Derby traces its origins to 1970, when it was founded by Moose Carnes, owner of Arlington Sporting Goods and a World War II submariner veteran. Carnes wanted to create a canoeing and kayaking race to raise money for local veterans, particularly American Legion Post 1302 in Arlington. The race ran along the Wappingers Creek from Pleasant Valley to what is now Red Oaks Mills.

"The first event was in 1970. It ran from Pleasant Valley to what's now Red Oaks Mills," Dillon explained. World War II veterans continued running the event for more than 20 years until the 1990s, when they turned it over to the Aquatic Explorers Scuba Club, which ran it as a fundraiser through 2019. Dillon himself was a member of the scuba club and helped run the event for approximately 12 years.

COVID brought the derby to a halt in 2020, and the rental boat vendor that had supplied equipment decided it was no longer financially viable to continue. The event went dormant until the VSA stepped in. In 2023, the VSA secured a $15,000 micro-grant through Dutchess County's veterans micro-grant program to launch a local veterans kayaking program, which paved the way for the derby's return in 2025.

2026 Derby Details: April 25th

This year's event is scheduled for Saturday, April 25, 2026, running from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with the takeout location at Greenville Park in the town of Poughkeepsie. The course runs from Pleasant Valley along the Wappingers Creek. Participants can continue on the water past 3:00 PM; event organizers expect to wrap up around 5:00 to 6:00 PM.

The registration fee remains $25, the same price as 2019. Canoes and kayaks are both welcome, and the event features multiple competitive classes including age groups, boat types, single paddlers, and family entries. Special awards are also presented each year in honor of service members lost in the War on Terror, including those lost at the World Trade Center and in Afghanistan.

Last year's restart drew over 100 participants and 71 boats on the water. The VSA scouts and clears the creek route each spring before the event, removing downed trees and debris to prepare the course. This year, national adaptive kayaking organization Team River Runner will be on site the day before the event, bringing specialized equipment so that severely disabled veterans can participate alongside everyone else.

"You're not gonna be doing very much rowing. You're gonna just be holding on and enjoying the scenery," Dillon noted about the spring water levels.

Expanding Adaptive Sports for Disabled Veterans

One of the VSA's growing priorities is adaptive programming. The organization recently became an official chapter of Team River Runner, the largest adaptive kayaking program for veterans in the United States. Previously, the nearest chapter was in Buffalo, New York. Through this partnership, the VSA is now able to serve severely disabled veterans in the Hudson Valley, including those at Castle Point and Montrose VA facilities.

The SHREDvets skiing program is also being expanded to include more adaptive skiers, with grants being pursued to acquire specialized equipment for veterans who are legally blind or have lost limbs.

Get Involved

The VSA welcomes volunteers, especially on race day when additional help is needed for logistics and administration. Anyone interested in volunteering, registering for the derby, or learning more about VSA programs can visit: veteransportsmenassociation.org, and search "Wappingers Creek Water Derby" to find the dedicated event page directly.

The VSA office is located at the Veterans OneSource Resource Building on Route 44 in Pleasant Valley, New York, co-located with the Dutchess County Veterans Services Officer and Vet2Vet.

"I think because we're a sporting organization and we get people out of the house doing stuff, we do not have a problem with younger members coming out and participating with us," Dillon said, noting that active programming may be key to what the VSA offers that legacy organizations sometimes struggle to provide.

Listen to the full interview: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5WtlwUUPo4l0XaxrbWO2tg?si=iogWAOe8QTiyPKNfdyk2TQ