The Witches Paddle on Wallowa Lake on Oct. 19, 2024 came complete with a photo opportunity. 

As the strains of Michael Jackson’s song “Thriller” floated across the parking lot at the second annual Wallowa Lake Witches Paddle, about 50 women dressed in witches’ garb prepared to launch their paddleboards onto the lake.

The weather Saturday, Oct. 19 could not have been more perfect for the event — sunny with blue skies and pleasantly warm for mid-October.

The event is the brainchild of Natalie Butz, an occupational therapist at Wallowa Memorial Hospital. She had traveled to similar events in Portland, Montana and Utah and thought such an event would do well in Wallowa County.

She was right: The first event last year was “way bigger than expected,” she said, attracting 23 participants.

She said she did her first witches’ paddle in 2015 and it is just “such fun. Silly and fun.”

Too, “Halloween is my favorite holiday,” she said. “Honestly, I love October.”

In fact, Halloween is exactly 100 days after her birthday, on July 23. For each of the 100 days between her birthday and Halloween, she does something related to Halloween: It could be wearing a Halloween-related hat, socks or dress. Her house is decorated for the season and the carving of pumpkins has begun. 

She also coordinates the paddle with a friend, Terry Atchley, an acupuncturist at Eagle Cap Wellness.

Someone who was a spectator last year and returned this year was Lisbeth Claus, a retired professor emerita from Willamette University, where she taught international management and human resources. She said the event wouldn’t have happened without Natalie and was there to support her.

As is the case with many community events, it helps to have the support of local businesses. One such business is Winding Waters River Expeditions, which reached out to Butz to see how it could support the Wallowa Lake Witches Paddle. The owner, Robin Pace, said Winding Waters provided paddleboards to participants who did not have their own along with personal flotation devices.

“I love getting folks on the water. It fosters community,” said Pace.

The Wallowa Lake Witches Paddle is “a beautiful expression of the divine feminine rising of women playing and having fun,” said Beth Estock, a first-time participant. “(It’s a way) to claim our power as women,” she said.

What did Butz want people to know about the Wallowa Lake Witches Paddle, which she plans to hold next year?

She said the event is intended to help people do “whatever makes them happy. All of us (need) to tap into our inner child.”