|
Name: Tammy Scalzo
Title: Manager and co-owner
Business: Mongo River Run Canoe & Kayak Rentals
Location: 2990 N. S.R. 3, Mongo
Founded: May 2009
What does Mongo River Run do?
We do canoeing and kayaking rentals along the Pigeon River. Most of the Pigeon River runs through over 12,000 acres of wildlife preserves. It’s very scenic, and canoeing and kayaking are very popular in the area, especially in the summer.
It’s a very clean river and a good fishing river. It’s fairly shallow — about 1 to 5 feet in depth — so if you flip you usually stand up.
The current is fairly slow; it’s not like you’re kayaking in the Colorado (River) and there’s whitewater. In the early spring, when the water rises and the current is too strong, we just will not rent.
Our river current is about four miles an hour, so you can float it or paddle it at your leisure. Paddles come with the rental. We have Old Town canoes with contoured seats and seatbacks.
We shuttle you up river, and then you come back to our location in downtown Mongo. You end up at your vehicle, so there’s no dragging all your stuff around. The trips go from four miles, with a float time of 1.5 hours, to 15 miles, with a float time of 5.5 hours.
What is your history with the business?
We grew up on the river, fishing, swimming and canoeing. Kayaks were not available when I was a child, but I have kayaked for 25 years.
Don Owsley and I are lifelong residents of Mongo and are very involved in the community. He owns Sarge’s Mongo Tavern and works for the LaGrange County Highway Department.
I’m on the board of Mongo Community Development and head of a historical group. I used to work at Coachman RV in Middlebury and have 14 years of retailing experience. We started Mongo River Run because we love the town and the river.
What’s ahead for the business?
We are on a part of the river they call a “mill pond.” It’s a big wide area where they backed the river up so they could run their mills in the 1800s. It would be ideal for paddle boats, and that’s something we would like to add in the future.
What do you like about your work?
I like meeting people from all walks of life, from the very young to the very old. We’ve had renters from as far away as Colorado and Maine.
Do any moments there stand out?
I was introduced to Jane Rich of the Northeast Indiana Small Business Development Center and she has given me a lot of tips. She’s been a tremendous help to us. She helped me setting up my books and gave me some direction in getting tax ID numbers.
What have you learned from your work?
There are so many rules and regulations. There is no book they can hand you that says, “This is everything you need to do.” Everything costs more than you think it’s going to, and everything takes longer than you think it should.
By Doug LeDuc. To suggest an idea for “Career Path,” e-mail us at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or call (260) 426-2640.
|
0.20 |
CMCSA 17.96 
0.12 |
FITB 11.87 
