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Festival 2002Photo Gallery
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 23, 2002
Dragon boaters triple last year's funds raised for local breast cancer assessment
Survivors Abreast is proud to announce that Peterborough's June 15 Dragon Boat Festival raised a total of $92, 623.56, thanks to the remarkable generosity of the community and enthusiastic teams.
Most of the money-$84, 509.18-goes to the Breast Assessment Centre at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre. That's more than three times the amount raised last year in the first-ever Peterborough festival.
A portion of the total-$8,114.38-helps to pay for Survivors Abreast's ongoing operating costs, which include participating in dragon boat festivals across Ontario to raise awareness about breast cancer.
Meredith Cosburn, dragon boat festival chair, presented a cheque for $84, 509.18 to Rob Devitt, CEO of the Peterborough Regional Health Centre and Dr. Douglas Chenoweth, Tuesday, July 23. Dr. Chenoweth is director of the PRHC's Breast Assessment Centre and a member of Team Synergy, the team that raised the most pledge money. Team Synergy came second in the final championship heat for mixed teams.
Robert Wellstood, CEO of Kawartha Credit Union, the festival's platinum sponsor, along with Carl Silvestri, KCU chairman, and Mary McGee, manager of member services/business development, hosted the news conference at the credit union's Monaghan Road head office.
Joining in the celebration were representatives from the other festival sponsors: Saturn Isuzu of Peterborough, Americredit, Sobeys, Nurse Emission and Testing, Streetside Media Inc, Cosburns Hobby Depot and media sponsors, the Wolf/KRUZ, CHEX TV, and the Peterborough Examiner.
Winning teams and times for 450 metre races
1st Dragon Flyers/Recreation Division-1.59
2nd Team Synergy/ Service Division-2.04
3rd G.E. Motor Maniacs/ Corporate Division-2.05 B 4th Team Americredit Finance Division-2.06
Winner of Ladies Division: Chicks Ahoy-2.12
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS RELEASE
Contact Carol Mutton at 292-0015 or 755-2019
or Meredith Cosburn at 745-8422.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 14, 2002
Local dragon boat teams begin practices
PETERBOROUGH-Paddles up!!
Starting May 25, that's the shout you'll hear echoing across Little Lake as 48 local dragon boat teams begin preparing for Peterborough's Dragon Boat Festival on June 15, 2002.
Team names range from Cash Flow, a Kawartha Credit Union team, and Skinny Dippers to G.E. Motor Maniacs and Cavan Horsepower. And there's a special exhibition team visiting from Toronto-Team Transplant.
"The one practice boat we've got in town is booked solid for three weeks," said dragon boat coach and race referee Len Minty. "We've got almost 70 practices scheduled."
The number of dragon boat teams has jumped to 48 from 27 last year and 90 per cent of last year's teams are back.
Money from the festival goes to the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) to breast cancer diagnostic equipment. Twenty-five percent is used to cover Survivors Abreast's team equipment, racing and boat maintenance expenses. Last year dragon boaters raised over $25,000 for the hospital.
Everyone's involved. Competing next month will be corporate teams, such as Sobeys and Quaker's Oat Boat and financial sector teams, such as Kawartha Credit Union's Liquid Assets and Team Americredit. The other three divisions include women's teams, such as Beta Babes (a sorority) and the Wackos Wave Walkers (a Warsaw women's hockey team); recreational teams, such as the Holy Cross Hurricanes and Nursies Knights (Nurse Emissions Testing and Repair) and community service category teams. The latter includes teams such as Foundation Afloat (Peterborough Regional Health Centre), the Millbrook Lions and the Waterbucks (Buckhorn Community Centre).
And rivalries have developed: the Millbrook Lions Club have roared out a challenge to the Fowlers Corners Lions and the doctors and medical staff from the Medical Centre team have thrown down a latex surgical gauntlet before the Peterborough Clinic.
This year's event, hosted by Survivors Abreast, is made possible by event sponsor, Kawartha Credit along with Saturn Isuzu of Peterborough, AmeriCredit, The Wolf/KRUZ, CHEX TV, Nurse Emission Testing and Repair, Sobeys Inc., The Peterborough Examiner, Cosburn's Hobby Depot Ltd. and Street Side Media Inc.
Besides cheering on their favourite teams, spectators can join in the fun activities and entertainment put on by sponsor Saturn Isuzu of Peterborough for their customer appreciation day, munch on food cooked by the Lions and Lioness Club, check out the Art Gallery of Peterborough for the Bloomin'Art exhibit and shop at the festival's one-stop dragon shop.
For more information about Peterborough's Dragon Boat Festival, please contact Meredith Cosburn at 745-8422 or meredith.cosburn@sympatico.ca.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS RELEASE:
Carol Mutton
Communications/Peterborough's Dragon Boat Festival Planning Committee
(705) 755-2019 or (705) 292-0015
Meredith Cosburn
Chair, Peterborough's Dragon Boat Festival Planning Committee
(705) 745-8422
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 15, 2002
More Teams, New Sponsors for Dragon Boat Festival 2002
PETERBOROUGH-Survivors Abreast and supporters welcome Kawartha Credit Union as the new major sponsor of Peterborough's Dragon Boat Festival which will be held June 15, 2002 in Del Crary Park-with more teams and sponsors.
"I'm thrilled that Kawartha Credit Union has an opportunity to play a major role in making this exciting and worthwhile day possible," said Bob Hicks, chief executive officer of Kawartha Credit Union. "It's a wonderful fit for our company as we continue to support health-related organizations and events in the community."
The majority of funds raised at the dragon boat festival will go towards the purchase of diagnostic equipment for the Breast Assessment Centre at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre. A portion will be used to keep the Survivors Abreast dragon boat team "afloat." Last year, the dragon boat event raised $25,000.
Other new sponsors include Saturn Isuzu of Peterborough, AmeriCredit, Royal Bank Financial Group, Nurse Emission Testing and Repair, Sobeys Inc., The Peterborough Examiner and Cosburn's Hobby Depot Ltd. Returning sponsors include The Wolf/980 KRUZ.
Organizers are also expanding the competition to a total of 52 teams from 32 last year. This year, there'll be room for 40 local teams instead of 26-and "local" teams can be any group from communities listed in the Lindsay, Peterborough and Surrounding Area Bell Telephone Directory.
In addition to the 40 area teams, the festival organizers-Peterborough's Survivors Abreast dragon boat team and supporters-are inviting three other breast cancer survivor teams to compete against each other.
Organizers are also inviting up to eight dragon boat teams from outside this area to race against each other and, more importantly, give local teams a chance to see seasoned teams in action and study their techniques.
"We've expanded to keep up with demand," said Len Minty, Survivors Abreast coach. "Last year, local teams formed to support a good cause, but now many paddlers have also become hooked on the excitement of paddling in sync toward the finish line, neck-and-neck with another team."
Dr. Tamara Lightbody, captain of last year's Skinny Dippers dragon boat team and daughter of Margie Lightbody, a member of Survivors Abreast, agreed: "We got together as friends to support breast cancer survivors we knew and promote breast cancer awareness. After the races everybody on the team came up to me and said, 'Count me in for next year!'"
"What really impresses me is that we have so many community-minded organizations helping support an event that directly benefits all the communities in the Peterborough-Lindsay area," said Meredith Cosburn, president/founder of Survivors Abreast. "It all ties together so well."
"Sylvia Sutherland was right last year," said Cosburn. While opening the 2001 festival, the mayor said: "I can't think of any activity that has caught the imagination in a quicker period of time than dragon boating."
Dr. Tim Kerr from the Peterborough Clinic has initiated a special remembrance for Dr. Richard Jarosonek as part of the dragon boat event. Dr. Jarosonek was killed in a motorcycle accident in 2001. He was one of four Peterborough doctors who contributed funds to help establish the Survivors Abreast dragon boat team.
Another feature of this year's event is Saturn's plan to hold their summer customer appreciation day at Del Crary Park on June 15 as part of the festivities.
Festival organizers encourage people thinking about forming a team to begin now. Coach Len Minty said there's already tremendous interest in the event. "Last year's event sparked a growing enthusiasm for dragon boating within the community. People are still talking about it," he said. "Get a team together, register, get out there and have fun."
Registration packages will be available as of March 1, 2002 at the Kawartha Credit Union, 1054 Monaghan Road, Peterborough. Registration fees start at $600 with one practice.
For more information about the Dragon Boat Festival, please contact Meredith Cosburn at 745-8422 or meredith.cosburn@sympatico.ca.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS RELEASE:
Meredith Cosburn
Chair, Peterborough's Dragon Boat Festival Planning Committee
(705) 745-8422
Carol Mutton
Communications/Peterborough's Dragon Boat Festival Planning Committee
(705) 755-2019 or (705) 292-0015
Photo Gallery 2002
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