So far, this dragon boat season has flown by faster than I realized. How did it get to be August? It feels like we were just getting ready for Knoxville, but now both Knoxville and Chattanooga are past, along with the spring dragon boat events.
Some of the highlights for me:
~ Saw how happy the sport made people when we introduced it to some newbies in May at the first Macon Dragon Boat Festival, benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters. So happy they want to do it again in October!
~ The Knoxville event grew tremendously, and went off without a hitch (except when spectators got a bit alarmed by the helicopter hovering for video and photo – until we assured the crowd they were with us…) Paddlers raised more than $125 for local charity Knox Area Rescue Ministries.
~ The Chattanooga event not only grew, it took on Club Crew National Championships for three days as well. Total teams: 85, with 61 local teams also raising money, for T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital Foundation. This event was very well received! The Pink Steel breast cancer survivor team from Pittsburgh dubbed me “Penster,” which was very cool.
That is what dragon boating is all about – relationships and the “family” you get thanks to participating in such an awesome sport! My family has grown. There are so many good people I know because of dragon boating. It’s incredible!
And it’s not over. There are still more dates, more dragon boating, more relationships!
August 21 – Oriental, NC
September 11 – Covington, KY
October 2 – Macon, GA
October 16 – Memphis, TN
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