River advocate paddled her way into the hall of fame

Elizabeth “Bunny” Johns followed a serendipitous path to the river – and nearly 60 years later into the International Whitewater Hall of Fame.

Her journey began in 1959 after her first year at Stetson University in Florida. She returned home to Avondale Estates east of Atlanta expecting to wait tables at a fancy restaurant, only to discover that the job was no longer available.

The next day, she happened to get a call from a friend who was supposed to teach swimming at Camp Merrie-Woode in Sapphire, N.C. The friend no longer wanted the job and wondered if Johns was interested. A competitive swimmer through high school, she jumped at the opportunity.

And that’s how she found herself in a canoe for the first time at age 18, learning the power stroke, the j-stroke and other paddling techniques. She taught campers swimming and they taught her how to canoe – a requirement before they achieved the rank of captain.

Her passion for the river was born.