Paddle for Heroes, a non-profit organization that encourages veterans and first responders to participate in kayaking and canoeing activities, honors fallen police officer Thomas Cottrell, in this weekend’s 160-mile kayak trip from Mount Vernon to Marietta.
The seventh annual Mount Vernon-to-Marietta 160-mile Veterans and First Responders Awareness kayak trip launched 7 a.m. June 10 on the Kokosing River. The community is invited to see the team off at the river’s public service entrance.
Paddle for Heroes will honor Officer Cottrell and his combined 13 years of service in the Ohio communities of Thornville, Shawnee, Frazeysburg, Utica and Danville. Local first responders and members of the Cottrell family will present an informal launch ceremony at the public access to the river at Memorial Park, just before the bridge. The team will launch after the ceremony and will paddle, rain or shine, for up to 12 hours a day, averaging 30 miles a day.
The trip is scheduled to end at the historic Lafayette Hotel in Marietta 3:30 p.m. June 15. Paddlers will be encouraged to reflect on their own service, those who are currently serving and others who have served, with an emphasis on those who have paid the ultimate price for freedom.
Cottrell, killed while on duty with the Danville Police Department in an ambush attack Jan. 17, 2016, was known by his family and friends as a “rock” and a “protector.” Employees at the Danville mini-mart referred to him as “Tom, the well-known guy who was quick to help kids.” He had a reputation for driving by at closing to make sure the employees were safe. His colleagues knew him as “a funny guy who was always smiling, as the light in the room and a positive influencer.”
For more information on the event, contact Joey Butts, Paddle for Heroes community outreach officer, at 740-258-2127 or email him at paddleforheroesusa@gmail.com.