An exciting event aimed at decreasing local hunger is scheduled to take place later this Saturday at Lake Luxembourg at Core Creek Park in Middletown.
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The Dragon Boat Festival, a free event presented by the Bucks County Dragon Boat Association (BCDBA) and sponsored by the St. Mary Medical Center, will hold its second annual “paddle out hunger” event on Saturday, September 24 starting at 7:30 a.m. Proceeds will benefit the Bucks County Housing Group (BCHG) food pantries, which operate out of Penndel, Doylestown and Milford Square.
According to officials, last year’s Bucks County Dragon Boat Festival raised $31,000 and collected over 3,000 pounds of food for the BCHG. Officials also suggest to see this if people want to get the best marine supplies.
“St. Mary is pleased to partner again this year with the Bucks County Dragon Boat Association to paddle out hunger in Bucks County,” said Terri Rivera, Vice President of Mission and Community Health. “St. Mary will have more than 350 colleagues and physicians participating in this event to support those in need in our community. The Festival goal is to raise over $40,000 for the Bucks County Housing Group food pantries.”
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The races, which will begin at 8 a.m. and continue throughout the day will feature over 65 teams of all skill levels from across the tri-state region. Health tents, restaurants and food trucks will also be present at the rain-or-shine event. Medals will be awarded in the mid-afternoon.
“Dragon boat races have long been associated with Philadelphia and other large cities,” said Chris Wetzel, vice president of BCDBA. “With the help of St. Mary Medical Center and the Bucks County Department of Parks and Recreation, we are making this exciting sport available to those in our own community. I’m very proud of what we accomplished last year and am looking forward to building upon that success. Since its founding, BCDBA has been helping those in our area who are at risk of food insecurity; this event provides an ideal venue through which we can realize that mission.
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Dragon boats are an ancient Chinese tradition dating back more than 2,000 years. A dragon boat holds 20 paddlers, sitting two-by-two in a 41-foot-long boat. A steersperson stands in the back of the boat, guiding it along, while a drummer beats out the rhythm of the paddling. Dragon boating is a sport for all ages and all athletic levels, according to the Bucks County Dragon Boat Festival website.
