What could be better than a beautiful, sunny day at the lake surrounded by family and friends? How about some boat races, food trucks, a beer tent, and other enticing vendors? Now, how about all of this fun is offered to the public with the goal of raising money for those in the local community impacted by cancer? Cancer Support Community New Jersey will be hosting the 7th Annual Dragon Boat Festival on Sunday, July 9 at Lake Lenape West in Mays Landing.
The Dragon Boat Festival has become a widely recognized festival not only from the locals who participate and attend, but also by the Eastern Regional Dragon Boat Association, drawing participants from Maine to Virginia. While many seasoned paddlers compete, no experience is needed to participate in the races. Dragon Boating is easy to learn, extremely safe, and an activity where men and women compete side-by-side towards the same goal.
The day begins with an Eye Dotting Ceremony, where the eyes are painted onto the boats to awaken the dragons. The races take place throughout the day in a series of heats. At lunchtime there is a break in the racing while a longtime member of CSCNJ reads a heartfelt poem while cancer survivors take to the lake for a Flower Ceremony, honoring those lost to cancer as well as those still fighting. This brings a moment of reflection to the crowd of well over one thousand people. After the final races in the afternoon, the Awards Ceremony takes place where winners of the day’s races go home with either a gold, silver, or bronze medal from their racing category.
The minimum age to paddle is 12 years old. Teams consist of 21-24 paddlers. All equipment is provided; the boat, paddles, life jackets, and even some advice from the experienced Dragon Boat coaches running the races. This is the perfect activity for friends, family members, a school outing, or corporate team building. A friendly competition tends to build between competing teams representing similar outlets; such as hospitals and casinos.
This festival would not be possible without the financial support of our many sponsors. For the second year in a row now, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City has come in as the main sponsor for the annual Dragon Boat Festival. CSCNJ is extremely grateful to the support received through sponsorships, in-kin donations, and the community overall.
This event aims to raise $100,000 to benefit the programs currently in place at CSCNJ and to continue to add more support groups to those who need it. For 20 years, CSCNJ has provided their services completely free of charge to all people touched by cancer. For more information on CSCNJ or to find out how to register for the Dragon Boat Festival please visit www.cscnj.org or call 609-926-2699.
