Paddlers Think Green
Paddlers thought Green long before it was in. We practice "Leave no trace." In addition to participating in community-wide clean ups, we continually pick up trash on each paddle. We have a deep respect for nature and preserving our natural resources. We've volunteered with the governor's Get Fit in Tennessee, TSRA, SRWA, and many others. The club itself is run by volunteers. Paddling is more than an activity, it’s an attitude.



No Business
No corporate mentality allowed. We don’t call any get together a ‘meeting,’ nor do any of our roles have business names like President, Treasurer, Secretary. We all need a place where work isn’t and fun is. We don’t take notes, we take pictures. We don’t collect dues, we accept contributions. The group is loosely structured and well organized.

Boats and gear
Some members buy a boat and then learn how to use it. Some prefer to try them out before buying. We strongly encourage boat ownership. Think of the difference between renting and owning a car. With each rental, the learning curve starts anew. How do high beam lights turn on, where's the windshield fluid button, etc. When you own, you learn once. And better yet, it's yours. Kayaks and canoes might appear similar but each one has its own characteristics. Knowing your boat helps keeps you safe. We'll be happy to help with questions before you purchase and please, no inflatables.

Good Exercise
We don't think of think of paddling as a fitness program. It's just fun, with a side benefit of fitness. What better motivator than to be outdoors with friendly people who share a common interest? We've got a member who suffered a stroke and is healing his body through paddling. A young woman, at first too shy to speak, now leads paddles. Parents make it a family event and bring their children creating lifelong memories.

How it Began
Paddle Adventures *Plus began in January ’08 as a paddling group by Roy Lewis. In June ’08, Leslie Dunn became the organizer. In December '09, Michael King became the organizer. Unless we folded up our URL like a paper airplane during the too-cold-to-paddle months November to March, we added “Adventures *Plus” to the group’s name and sprinkled nonpaddling events on our calendar. Membership grew from 150 to over 500 in six months. Two things matter to us: Members enjoying the events we put on the calendar and safety on the paddles.

We expect traditional values and morals that have nothing to do with what year it is. In other words, good manners never go out of style. We carry each others boats, pick up after ourselves, poke fun at one another and share laughs. A lot of laughs.

Although paddling is at the core of the group, paddling is not a requirement for membership. It's the paddling attitude that defines this great group.