Do you have Closet Paddlers?

We’re Looking for Paddlers!

Are Paddlers taking up your valuable closet space?

Would you like to see them out and serving a good cause?

Carolina Paddler has been the CCC’s journal since 2022 but before it came the Paddler. The first edition of the Paddler newsletter was released in April of 1969, soon after the club was formed by Bob Benner, Tony Comer, Sheila Massey and a dozen others. We are now looking for print copies of those Paddlers through the years.

We already have many issues, including the first one, donated by Tony Comer, but we have some big gaps too. Like the 1990’s.  Do you have any copies you’d like to donate?

Carolina Paddler is working with the North Carolina Collection at UNC’s Wilson Library to preserve this paddling history in their archives. The past copies, along with the new digital versions, will be available to everyone through their Digital Repository.  Print copies will also be saved.

You’ll be able to find Steve Erikson’s advertisement for the sale of a rare Budweiser Canoe.

Or, young paddler, David Benner, proving why he was one of the first star paddlers in the CCC.  David came from a paddling family. His dad, Bob, was the first President of the CCC.

Larry Ausley, Bob Brueckner and others started an archiving process ten years ago. Thanks to them and Paddler contributors, editions from 1971-2007 are saved on CD at the NC Collection. Other Paddler issues from 2009 to 2016 are available on our website. Print copies of many other editions are missing.

The new archiving will preserve all we can locate. Along with the current editions of Carolina Paddler, the public will be able to visit the NCC Digital Repository to see the history of the CCC.

Please contact editor@carolinacanoeclub.org if you have print copies of the Paddler to donate.

Alton Chewning