Kiwanis Dragon Boat Festival of Waterloo RegionJuly 18, 2009It’s time for the Kiwanis Dragon Boat Festival of Waterloo Region again at Laurel Creek Conservation Area in 2009. The weather is getting warmer and the competition is getting hotter. Get your team together to enter our Festival on Saturday, July 18th, 2009. See the “Sign-Up” sheet file and a “Poster” (legal size paper) file for your meeting/bulletin board to help you with recruitment of your team along with a “Registration Package”. Complete the first page of the enclosed Registration application and send it along with your $200 deposit to Mr. Jamie Meek, c/o Kiwanis Club of Elmira, Box 171, Elmira, ON N3B 2Z6 to reserve your place in this FUN event. The team list and the waivers can be delivered to us at your first Dragon Boat practice. With your own steersperson the registration is only $750. Visit www.waterloodragonboat.org for additional details. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Some additional information: Kiwanis Dragon Boat Festival of Waterloo Region It's fire breathin' fun. The Kiwanis Club of Elmira presents the Kiwanis Dragon Boat Festival of Waterloo Region. The event begins at 8:00 AM and runs all day. The awards ceremonies are after the Grand Championship race. We have an Open Division, for teams from the corporate and community sectors. We have a Colleges and Universities Division. We'll also be crowning a local champion again this year! And we have arts and crafts vendors, food booths, a beer tent, live music, martial arts demonstrations, opening cerimonies and a ceremonial lion dance (just after the first set of heats - about 11:00 am), plus all the activities the conservation area offers. There's something for everyone, from four to ninety-four. What is a Dragon Boat Festival? First of all, what is a Dragon Boat? Think of a huge canoe with a dragon's head on the front and a tail on the back. Add 20 enthusiastic paddlers, of any gender or age, moving in unison. Mix in one drummer, pounding out a cadence for the paddlers, and a steersperson to try to keep 4,500 pounds of boat and humanity floating in a straight line from start to finish. Put five of these boats on the water at one time - 110 competitors charging down a 500-metre course - and you-ve got a Dragon Boat race. Run several dozen heats, declare champions and crown an overall champion. Add a liberal helping of food, fun, music, and sun ... you've got a Dragon Boat Festival. Here are some pictures from our 2006 Event: Contact Bill LaRose for more details Who competes? About fifty teams will compete - most teams are from the region, but we draw top-flight competitors from across Ontario. Teams represent neighbourhoods, companies and organizations, charities, clubs and, of course, colleges and universities. World-class teams and beginners alike show their stuff at the festival. About 40% of the participants are female, and participants range in ages from teens to seniors. Skill, coordination and endurance often make the difference. It's not all brute strength and athleticism. Proceeds from the event and pledge program will benefit the Grand River Hospital's Childbirth and Children's programs. Several sponsors support the event. Over the past seven years, we have contributed over $100,000 to the hospital, and we expect that number to grow substantially in coming years. Please remember! It's a day of fun and fundraising. While we attempt to provide a flawless event, "glitches", boat spills and weather delays sometime rear their own dragon-like heads. Please be patient and understanding with our dedicated and tireless team of volunteers. For more information go to our website at: waterloodragonboat.org |
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