ST. LEONARD, Md. (June 10, 2011)—The 24th annual Bernie Fowler Patuxent River Wade-In event will be held this Sunday, June 12, at Jefferson Patterson Park in St. Leonard. The festivities will begin at 1 p.m. and the wade-in will commence at 2 p.m. Organizers call the event "an enduring symbol of the need for impassioned stewardship of Maryland's water resources."
As a young man in the 1950s, Bernie Fowler stood chest-deep in the Patuxent and was able to see his feet on the river bottom while netting blue crabs. Senator Fowler held the first Patuxent "wade-in" in 1988 to assess whether he could still see his feet while wading into the river. His white sneakers disappeared from view in a disappointing 10 inches of water.
The senator, who served in the Maryland State Senate from 1983-1994 after having been a Calvert County Commissioner from 1970-1982, last year was joined by more than 100 attendees at the 23rd annual version of the event. His sneakers were visible last year until he reached a depth of 34.5 inches.
The public is invited to participate in the event. The Park is located at the
end of Mackall Road in St. Leonard, Calvert County.
RELATED INFORMATION:
Patuxent River Commission Web site
http://planning.maryland.gov/ourwork/patuxentrivercomminfo.shtml
Bernie's Feet Facebook Page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bernies-Feet/125818230762648?sk=wall
Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, State Museum of Archaeology
http://www.jefpat.org/