The Chattanooga Dragon Boat Festival will take place on Saturday, May 2, at the TVA Park at Chickamauga Dam, to benefit Children’s Hospital at Erlanger.
Dating back more than 2,300 years, Dragon Boat racing features teams of 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steerer in 46-foot long Chinese dragon boats, racing through the water to the finish line.
Paddlers ages 15 and older at any skill and fitness levels can participate, making it the ultimate team building sport.
It is not too late to register for the event. Corporate and community teams are encouraged to register their boat and a fundraising page by going to http://paddleforchildrenshospital.org. Early bird registration lasts until April 1. Boating registration is currently $750 for a company team or $700 for a community team. The last day to register is April 26.
“Thanks to the paddlers’ and teams’ fundraising efforts, the real winners of this event are children who receive the medical care they need at Children’s Hospital,” said Katie Dolphin, Director of Annual Giving.
To better serve more than 40,000 children who come to the hospital this year, participants are asked to raise $4,000 per team or $190 per person in pledges.
“That equals approximately a dime for every child who is treated annually at Children’s Hospital,” said Dolphin. “Proceeds go directly to the region’s only Children’s Hospital to help provide the necessary services for sick or injured children in our area.”
Last year, paddlers from 37 teams raised more than $150,000 for Children’s Hospital.
Teams can decorate their tents, wear their dragon apparel and cheer throughout the races. Top prizes will be awarded to the fastest teams and those raising the most money.
Individuals interested in learning more about the event are encouraged to attend a kick-off meeting on Thursday, March 19 at 4:30 p.m. at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger. Race veterans and last year’s rookies will discuss their experiences and share tips on fundraising, team building and making race day a success. The hospital’s 2015 Miracle Children and their families will also be on hand at this kick-off event to share their stories about how the region’s only pediatric hospital made a difference in their lives.
To learn more about the kick-off event or the festival, please call or email Christian Orth at 423-778-9298 or Christian.Orth@erlanger.org.