History of the Staff Paddles

Beginning in 1968 a staff paddle was created for each year. The paddles include the staff roster as well as the patch for that year (starting in 1976). Initially the names were burned into the paddle and only the first name was listed. Matt Heckinger recalls that he painted or wood-burned the staff paddles for 1968, 1969, and 1970. Gradually last names were also included and for most years the names have been put on with lettering.

Wayne Brooks and Ed Bates said they believed that a lot of camps made canoe paddles, and suggested that in our council the idea probably came from Northwoods. One day Wayne found the paddles in the program room and wanted to put them up somewhere visible inside the main lodge. However there was not enough wall space inside the lodge, and they were too big for the walls anyway, so in the winter of 1974-1975 they were mounted on the ceiling.

The 1977 paddle was not hung at that time and was missing for more than 30 years. Dan Masterson of the 1977 camp staff had the paddle during this time, which he received from his father. Dan returned the paddle to Steve Sarver who restored it, and it was returned to Camp Lowden in 2010 at the 70th Anniversary Celebration. There is no paddle for 1978...it is either missing or (more likely) was never even made. Also of special note is the 1990 paddle which is really an oar.

During the summer of 2008, the paddles were removed from the ceiling in order to accomodate the rehab of the main lodge.
They were reinstalled in 2010, this time running lengthwise (instead of crosswise).

Main Lodge ceiling prior to rehab