Paddle for Heroes Memorial Paddle floats through Zanesville

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – A ten-year tradition honoring fallen service members and supporting veterans is making its way through Ohio’s rivers.

The 10th Annual Paddle for Heroes Memorial Paddle stopped at Muddy Misers in Zanesville for lunch on Tuesday. At that point in their journey, canoers and kayakers were on day 3 of their 6-day trip and 85 miles into their 160-mile journey.

This year’s Paddle for Heroes Memorial Paddle honors 1st Lieutenant Charles L. Wilkins and Private First Class Ryan Martain, who died during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004. They were concluding route-clearance operations when an IED struck their convoy’s lead Humvee.

“There’s a saying out there that I heard and I like to use. It’s ‘worse than death is being forgotten.’ So that when we’re out on the water, especially those of us who serve our communities and our county, you go out on the water and you can reflect on your service. But you can also reflect on the sacrifices that others have made.”

Paddle for Heroes is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help veterans, first responders, and their families heal through the exercise and time in nature that paddling can provide.

“I like seeing all the emotions that this event brings. One, you’ll see some people struggle cause everybody has a bad day. And then, you’ll see people have a really good day and then you see the people, all of us at the end, all the people who go from beginning to end, a sense of accomplishment. Especially when their family their family or you know their girlfriend, or boyfriend, or you know husband or whatever’s there. And it’s all smiles and hugs and ‘man I did this,’ you know. That’s my favorite part. ”

By the time paddlers reach Marietta on Friday, they will have traveled 160 miles. They’ve traveled through Warsaw, Coshocton, Dresden, and Zanesville as a part of their journey. You can learn more by visiting their website at PaddleForHeroesMidwest.org.