The City of Mount Vernon encourages the community to be part of the 10th Annual Paddle for Heroes Memorial Paddle.
The public is invited to witness the launch of the annual event on Sunday, June 7, by gathering at Memorial Park and sending off the paddlers.
Organized by Paddle for Heroes, the trip follows the Kokosing, Walhonding, and Muskingum river systems, with scheduled checkpoints in communities including Warsaw, Coshocton, Dresden, Zanesville, McConnelsville, Beverly, and Lowell. Participants are expected to make their final landing at the Ohio Riverfront Levee in Marietta.
The launch and spectator schedule begins at 7 a.m. with a Memorial Park Launch Ceremony, including a mayoral proclamation, followed by the official river launch as paddlers depart Memorial Park. Spectators can then view the team at several points along the route: Lower Gambier Road (River Left) at 8 a.m., Laymon Road Bridge (River Right) at 8:30 a.m., and Big Run Road Bridge (River Left) at 9:15 a.m.
Given the intensity of the daily stretches the paddlers will experience, community support at every checkpoint is welcome to boost morale.
The memorial event is a demanding six‑day, 160‑mile journey from Mount Vernon to Marietta, honoring two Ohio soldiers killed in action while raising awareness for veterans, first responders, and active‑duty service members.
On August 20, 2004, PFC Ryan A. Martin of Mount Vernon and 1st Lieutenant Charles L. Wilkins of Columbus, both served with Chillicothe's A Company, 216th Engineer Battalion, were killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom when a roadside blast struck their convoy's lead Humvee during a route-clearance mission in Samarra, Iraq.
Beyond pushing participants to their physical limits, the memorial event also offers a chance for thoughtful reflection along their scenic journey.
Updates on the paddlers' intense six-day journey will be posted on Paddle for Heroes' Facebook page.
