MOUNT VERNON – U.S. Army Veteran Curtis L. Casto is headed for a 981-mile journey down the Ohio River to raise funds for Paddle for Heroes. Casto, 65, will start his trip May 1 at downtown Pittsburg and finish approximately 35 days later in Wickliffe, Kentucky.
Paddle for Heroes is a Mount Vernon, Ohio based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that assists veterans and first responders who have endured traumatic experiences, helping them to recover by spending time in nature paddling kayaks and canoes, according to a press release.
Each year Paddle for Heroes organizes a six-day paddle from Mount Vernon to Marietta on the Kokosing, Walhonding and Muskingum rivers in Ohio. Participants paddle 25-30 miles a day and camp along the river at host campgrounds. The organization also participates in trips to Michigan and Cincinnati for paddling adventures. In September each year Paddle for Heroes participates in clean-up programs on the Kokosing and Mohican rivers. Paddle for Heroes, other organizations and individual volunteers have removed hundreds of tires and thousands of pounds of garbage from the rivers.
Paddle for Heroes also places onion bag boxes at river access points so paddlers can take reusable litter bags with them for their trash and to pick up litter as they go. Paddle for Heroes also raised money for and installed an ADA-compliant kayak launch at Ariel-Foundation Park in Mount Vernon. This allows persons in wheelchairs and those with balance and strength issues to access the water for paddling.
Casto is taking pledges for this trip. Please donate by going to paddleforheroesmidwest.org or search on Facebook for Paddle for Heroes. Let Curtis know you support him by joining his group on Facebook: A Good Paddling At 65! or his blog a-good-paddling-at-65.com.
All donations go to Paddle for Heroes. Casto is covering his own expenses for the trip.
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