Update 2023-03-13: Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle in Valdosta Daily Times and WWALS video of what the Mayor and Chairman said.

Everybody had a good time at the Fourth Annual Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle. The water level was just right for the shoals to be ripples and the weather was perfect: not cold, not hot, nice and shady.

Phil Hubbard led this one of many WWALS paddle outings. Three people fell in and one paddle got lost, but everybody recovered and nobody went home mad.

Mayor, WWALS, Chairman; banners; boaters; outfall; Spook Bridge

WWALS is proud to bring together Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter and Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson at the site of the county’s recent acquisition of 71 acres from Helen Tapp to add to the 49 acres Parks and Rec already owns to eventually form Troupville Nature Park.

Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson, WWALS E.D. Gretchen Quarterman, Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter –GQ

Here they are holding each end of a Suwannee Riverkeeper banner. The County and City Managers are also in there.

Banners –Gretchen Quarterman

Of the thirty eight boats, half a dozen or so took out at Paul Deloach’s private boat ramp, for which we thank him.

Debarking at Paul Deloach Private Boat Ramp –Scott James

Before that, Bill Holt and the Boys &amp Girls Club shuttled people back from Spook Bridge.

On the Boys and Girls Club bus –Scott James

Bird Chamberlain brought Will Hart’s boats from State Line River Outfitters for anyone who needed a boat.

Bird Chamberlain with State Line Outfitters boats, his dog, and the lost puppy

Sharon Ross, Wes Brinkley, and Phil Royce helped WWALS E.D. Gretchen Quarterman at the WWALS sign-in table.

Wes Brinkley, Gretchen Quarterman, Sharon Ross, Justin Coleman, Phil Royce 08:40:48, 30.8513802, -83.3471641

Steve Carigee came from Columbus to paddle a VSU video cameraman in the 18-foot canoe Mark Wisenbaker donated to WWALS. Russell Allen McBride and Wes Brinkley were sweeps, to be sure nobody was left behind.

The Mayor got his picture taken at the clean WWTP Outfall.

Mayor at WWTP Outfall –Scott James

Valdosta City Manager Richard Hardy assisted somebody who fell in just below the outfall.

Valdosta City Manager Richard Hardy to the rescue, 10:51:43, 30.8362119, -83.3601121

Steve Miller and his children shuttled people the quarter mile from Spook Bridge up to the public highway.

Phil Hubbard, Steve Miller, Dick Davis, heading out, 14:48:15, 30.7894769, -83.4511820

Thanks to The Langdale Company for access at Spook Bridge and at the lunch stop.

Lunch stop at Withlacoochee Hunt Club Boat Ramp, 13:02:56, 30.8158549, -83.4250226

This was not primarily a cleanup, but paddlers collected some trash.

Some trash bags, 15:15:23, 30.7893767, -83.4512986

And some more trash.

Trash bags with Bird Chamberlain –Gretchen Quarterman

There are many more pictures on the WWALS website.

See also facebook photosets by:

• Gretchen Quarterman
• Russell Allen McBride
• Scott James
• Robin Blount Brinkley
• Boys & Girls Cl ub of Valdosta, Inc.
• and probably others.

Spook Bridge, 14:40:38, 30.7909281, -83.4522522

For more WWALS outings and events, see:
https://wwals.net/outings/

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

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