Forty dragons roared their way across Ramsey Lake yesterday, to raise funds for Maison McCulloch Hospice.
Sudbury’s annual Dragon Boat Festival amassed a raging crowd as teams as well as some cheerful spectators.
“We have about 800 team members, 100 volunteers and a couple hundred spectators. It has been a great outpouring of support,” Dylan Roberts, race committee chair, said.
The excitement at Bell Park was noticeable from a distance. Music blaring from the tents, team members talking excitedly, loud cheering from the crowd, was all to be heard from the land. While on the water the screaming instruction from the steerers, the loud drumming and water splashing with the paddles broke the Saturday morning silence.
With the temperature raging, dragon boat racing was the perfect way to beat the heat while fundraising.
As tradition goes, every year the Dragon Boat Festival aims to raise funds to support local causes and organizations. This year, the festival committee joined forces with Maison McCulloch Hospice to raise money for the hospice expansion project.
“I think it is important to raise money for the hospice because do a really great job of providing some necessary end-of-life support to local families,” Roberts said.
The festival which began in 2000 has so far raised $1.7 million and hoped to add more than $67,000 to the count this year.
The money raised will help the hospice reach its goal of expanding the facility to include ten additional beds.
“I am so overwhelmed with the response we have had from the community. The money that we receive from this event will bring us one step closer to the $8,000,000 cost of construction,” Jeanne Warwick-Conroy, board member for hospice fundraising said.
If you missed out on the race, make sure to check our gallery for some of the best dragons.
