A group of kayakers lift their paddles into the air on Saturday morning to mark the start of the 5th Annual Adams County Paddlefest on Brush Creek. (Photo by Ryan Applegate)
By Ryan Applegate
People’s Defender
The fifth annual Adams County Paddlefest brought outdoor enthusiasts together this past weekend for a serene and scenic trip down Ohio Brush Creek, as the event continued its tradition of promoting health, wellness, and appreciation for the region’s natural beauty. Hosted by the Adams County Health and Wellness Coalition, this year’s Paddlefest took place in early June—a change from previous years that brought higher water levels and smoother conditions for kayakers.
The event, known for its laid-back atmosphere and vibrant community feel, once again showcased the collaboration of local organizations working together for a greater cause. Volunteers from the Adams County Juvenile Probation staff assisted with the loading and unloading of kayaks, Moondoggie LIVERee provided essential outfitting and logistical support, and the Adams County Senior Citizen Council helped shuttle participants to and from the creekside launch area.
More than just a celebration of recreation, Paddlefest is a fundraiser with a mission. Debbie Ryan, speaking on behalf of the Adams County Health and Wellness Coalition, emphasized the local impact of funds raised through the event. “The money we raise with this event goes right back into Adams County,” Ryan explained. “It’s not used anywhere else or for anything else.”
Over the years, Paddlefest proceeds have helped provide matching funds for grants, such as those required for NatureWorks walking paths. These matching contributions have supported a variety of local initiatives. “We use it to help build walk paths, build community gardens, build school gardens,” Ryan said. “This year, we are going to get back into some things that we had done before COVID—we’re going to buy bicycles for schools, buy running shoes for any of the schools who want to start running clubs. We’re going to try to help support those kids, buy snacks for them, try to help support things like that.”
Inclusivity remains a key focus of the Coalition’s efforts. Ryan shared a story that perfectly captured the spirit of the work: “We put in a connecting sidewalk at the Peebles Splash Pad really at the request of an adult who is wheelchair bound,” she said. “He had asked multiple times if there could be a sidewalk because he loved going to the skate park to see what the kids wrote in chalk, but he couldn’t get there very easily in his wheelchair because the ground was pretty rough and had some holes and the front wheels would get stuck in it.”
Because of that request—and the needs of local children who use wheelchairs—the Coalition helped make the area ADA-accessible from the parking lot. “It’s things like that, you know, that this money will help improve our area to be more physically active,” she said. “That’s our goal, and like I said, it doesn’t go anywhere else. It goes solely to some project in Adams County that will keep people physically active.”
Paddlefest also helped shine a light on alternative ways to stay active, particularly for people who may have physical limitations that make hiking or running more difficult. “Kayaking is a low-impact activity,” Ryan noted. “You’re not going to see anything more beautiful than what you see as you go down this stretch—at least from what I know of this stretch—of Ohio Brush Creek. It’s breathtaking.”
That beauty isn’t just local legend. “Nikki (Gerber) told us yesterday that she had just put someone out on Brush Creek that was going out to the Ohio River,” Ryan shared. “They told her that they had kayaked all over the world, and that the lush green that they were seeing here reminded them of the Amazon.”
Whether drawn by the promise of natural beauty, low-impact recreation, or a shared commitment to improving community wellness, this year’s participants helped continue a legacy that’s becoming a source of pride for Adams County. As Ryan put it, “People just don’t realize what we have here in our own backyard—and this is a way to help promote that as well as physical activity.”
