Another year another success for the Barrie Dragon Boat Festival.
The 15th annual event took over Heritage Park Saturday in an attempt to add to the already impressive tally it has raised in the years thus far. With over a million dollars already accumulated by the event over the years, the BDBF communications director and volunteer Martha MacEachern is happy with how the event is helpful to charities and people who need assistance the most.
“The beauty of our festival is that teams select the charity of their choice so its not just one particular charity but rather many getting help from all over,” said MacEachern. “Every team is asked to raise a minimum of $500 and over the course of the 15 years we have raised over $1.75 million for more than 60 charities. Its such a great way to help not just big charities but also some lesser known ones that may not get the attention they deserve but they are near and dear to someone’s heart.”
The event began as a way to raise money to build the Painswick branch of the Barrie Public Library and was so popular that the library decided to keep doing it open it to other charities. Some other causes that will benefit from the BDBF are cystic fibrosis, Alzheimer, Redwood Park Communities and Barrie’s Ribbons of Hope in support of breast cancer survivors. MacEachern enjoys seeing familiar faces year after year, but the new teams supporting new causes always makes the festival team smile as they compile the race schedules.
“I think we were always hopeful it would be able to continue year after year,” said MacEachern. “We’re thrilled with the continued participation of teams that have been with us over the years, but for us the thing that’s most exciting is that every year there are some new teams that join. So out of the 48 teams there are about seven or eight new ones that have joined the long-standing ones that have been here from the beginning; it’s amazing to see and to know that word of mouth gets out and folks understand that this is not only beneficial but fun as well.”
While there is lots of training and time that goes in to preparing for the weekend, the day of is a fun and interactive one where teams show off their individuality and uniqueness. Teams are given a spot in the park to set up their tent, tables and chairs where they can relax or prepare for their upcoming race. Not only are there lots of food and drinks for squads to keep energized and hydrated, but a wide selection of themes and outfits cover the grounds. MacEachern says that while this year’s theme was a no-brainer, teams are always encouraged to bring their own chants, costumes and individuality.
“It seems to be very organic and we do have some awards that we present at the end of the festival that are for team spirit,” said MacEachern. “There is a Best Dressed Team and Rookie Team, which doesn’t necessarily mean the team with the best time but rather a new team that has really taken in the spirit of the event and run with it. We do encourage team spirit but it really seems to develop from them and their personalities; we do love walking around the little village this has turned into and seeing the many colourful outfits and humorous get-ups. This year we did let folks know that an obvious theme they may want to look at is Canada 150, which is such a huge thing right now. We’ve seen so much red and white scattered throughout the park; its just a really wonderful sight.”
One team that not only took to the Canada 150 theme but also added two amazing sculptures is a group that has been in the festival since the first day. Moore Packaging Corporation raises money for the Alzheimer’s Society and even donated a boat to the library for the event. Moore’s Constance Murray and her team were not only decked out in red and white with Canada 150 on their shirts, but the graphic designer also built two statues from corrugated boxes in the shape of a dragon and knight that was on display by their tent.
“The dragon took about two months to build in my spare time in the evenings, just an hour here and there,” said Murray. “There were times I wanted to give up as it would get very difficult but you kind of just keep going and plugging away. The knight took about three weeks; he was really easy to put together.”
Most would think that the event is just some races and team-building but for Murray and Moore Packaging, the festival is about community and being there for one another.; it’s the reason the statues were built and why the team is always excited to participate in the annual event.
“We plan every year for the festival and everyone in the company from all departments gets right into the spirit of it,” said Murray. “With the statues, I just wanted to bring something cool and unique to our tent and the event. The knight will sit in our front lobby at Moore and the dragon is being donated to the library for everyone to enjoy.”
The dragon has a swivelling head and comes apart in four pieces as its heavy to carry but the knight is easily lifted.
The festival started at 6:30 a.m. with team registration and continues to 6pm when the races are over and the beer tent closes. Live music and kid’s activities continue all day while the races are happening.
For more information on the event today and for the future, check the website at http://barriedragonboatfestival.ca
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