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A group of kayakers, many of whom were used to weathering intense situations, were caught in Sunday afternoon's storms.

About 30 people participating in a kayak trip with Team River Runner waited out the intense storm before continuing the trip down the Potomac River.

Team River Runner is a nonprofit that helps rehabilitate injured veterans and military service members through water sports, said Dana Alexander of College Park, the Team River Runner administrative coordinator.

"It was a scream. Everybody went running for cover," said David Shanahan, Team River Runner outreach coordinator. "After it blew over, everybody kind of waited around until it was clear to go back in. We continued on like nothing happened."

Injured veterans begin learning to kayak in a pool at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and are then encouraged to participate in trips down the river twice per week, Alexander said. The Sunday trip urged participants to bring their friends and family.

"We are all-inclusive so if anybody wants to participate in our program we don't turn anybody away," said Shanahan of Derwood, a Navy veteran who began volunteering in 2008.

Some veterans in the program are given goals to complete each week to help with memory retention; others go kayaking to help build core muscles and get better balance, Shanahan said.

"The kayak has turned out to be a real unexpected way to help these patients a lot," he said.

Team River Runner started in the D.C. area 2004 and has spread to 25 sites across the country, Alexander said. They also try to get veterans certified to be instructors so they can help train others.

"It really creates that bond within the sport," Alexander said.

For more about Team River Runner, visit www.teamriverrunner.org.

Head onto the Potomac River with Team River Runner, a nonprofit that helps wounded servicemen and women rehabilitate through water sports. www.gazette.net/video.