By Fiona Anderson

Triumph Media

When 96-year-old Hazel Amos steps into a Kumsheen Rafting Resort raft on the raging Thompson River this summer, shesa国际传媒檒l be hoping to accomplish three important feats: become a Guiness World Record holder, an inspiration for active living, and to simply have a really, really good time.

Amos is no stranger to the blue waters and rampaging rapids of the legendary Thompson, for the nonagenarian has done this at least 25 times over the years sa国际传媒� and has become the oldest Class IV whitewater rafter in anyonesa国际传媒檚 memory.

sa国际传媒淎nybody can go to the park,sa国际传媒� Amos quips. sa国际传媒淏ut this is way more fun.sa国际传媒�

Amos is issuing a challenge to other seniors sa国际传媒� join her on the water on July 21 to truly experience one of British Columbiasa国际传媒檚 most iconic adventures.

sa国际传媒淚t keeps you young and donsa国际传媒檛 be afraid,sa国际传媒� Amos says. sa国际传媒淛ust do it.sa国际传媒�

Amos is a proponent of active living, taking up swimming in her retirement, working out into her 90s and even lifting weights. Being active, she says, is one of the reasons that shesa国际传媒檚 still healthy and has been on this earth 96 years.

So, how did the former farm girl become a whitewater addict?

Itsa国际传媒檚 her sonsa国际传媒檚 fault.

sa国际传媒淢y brother was working up-country on the railroad in the 70s and he always saw Kumsheen rafts in the water, and thinking it was a great thing to do,sa国际传媒� recalls Margaret Connors, Hazelsa国际传媒檚 daughter and a resident of Surrey. sa国际传媒淲e did it a few times, and then it became an annual thing sa国际传媒� it was just a really nice way to be with family. My mother and I would drive up there and spend the day with him on the river.sa国际传媒�

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Those days added up over the years, with dozens of family members heading to Kumsheen Rafting Resort. The resortsa国际传媒檚 founder, Bernie Fandrich, was there for many of them.

Thatsa国际传媒檚 why, this year, Kumsheen has applied to the Guiness World Book of Records to see if Amossa国际传媒檚 rafting trip this year can qualify for an award. He expects an answer by about September.

sa国际传媒淲e call her Grandma Hazel, the patron saint of rafting,sa国际传媒� Fandrich says. sa国际传媒淲e know shesa国际传媒檚 the oldest person to have rafted the Thompson River. We think she might be the oldest Class IV white-water rafter in the the world!sa国际传媒�

This year, the annual event will once again be a family affair. Amos will head to Kumsheen, near Lytton, from Surrey, and be joined by her daughter and her husband, son and daughter-in-law, a nephew and two grandchildren.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 wonderful there,sa国际传媒� Amos says of rafting on the Thompson with Kumsheen. sa国际传媒淓veryonesa国际传媒檚 friendly and very accommodating.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e done it at least 25 times and wesa国际传媒檇 love to be in the Guinness Book World Records,sa国际传媒� Amos says, sa国际传媒渟hould it ever come to fruition.sa国际传媒�