Saturday, April 19, 2014

NOW THERE IS AN OFFICIAL 
FACEBOOK
 PAGE!
This Blog was created to reach an initial audience, to build support for a unique, colorful, and beginner-friendly recreational team water sport, that allows almost anybody to have some fun as a Team and enjoy the magnificent Hudson River, and involves a little bit of education about a different culture.

Thank you for coming here and reading about the efforts to build awareness, and create a source for education about an unfamiliar and not well covered sport, that nevertheless is available all over the world, all over the US, in several cities in New York State, and now, for the first time in 2014, coming to Poughkeepsie!.

With the help of an enthusiastic and hard working committee, the reality is now
10 weeks away!

The post down below lists the official website, www.dutchessDragonBoat.org, and now you have access to an official FACEBOOK Page as well:

"Dutchess Dragon Boat Race and Festival"

So sign on for Facebook, type in the name of this page, "like" it, and you will get periodic announcements and photos and ways to get up to date information about the first ever Dragon Boat race on the Hudson River at Poughkeepsie, and currently the only Dragon Boat Race on the entire Hudson River!

Awaken The Dragon on July 5th!

See you on the river!   

Saturday, April 12, 2014

photo courtesy D. Nobiletti © 2013




 NOW THERE IS AN OFFICIAL WEBSITE-

www.dutchessDragonBoat.org

LIVE at last!

While this Blog has been an available source of DRAGON BOAT RACE educational content and background, it is time to shift your attention to the REAL THING- the official, on-line registration and comprehensive procedural vehicle for all manner of needed information, concerning the first annual DUTCHESS DRAGON BOAT RACE and FESTIVAL--

www.dutchessDragonBoat.org

Click on it, read all about the ways to form a team and register, read about the on-shore activities during the race as part of an Asian Cultural Festival, and how YOU can be a participant, spectator, sponsor, vendor, or volunteer.

There is a place for you at this fun and "unique to the mid-Hudson area" first annual event- the only Dragon Boat race currently taking place on the entire length of the Hudson River.

Awaken the Dragon, July 5th!

www.dutchessDragonBoat.org

Thursday, April 3, 2014

ALMOST HERE!
Paddling in Poughkeepsie
is coming soon!

think Spring- but also- think JULY 5!!! That is when the first annual DUTCHESS DRAGON BOAT RACE AND FESTIVAL is happening, at the HRRA Community Boathouse, along the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie. NY.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!! Have fun with your friends and other BEGINNERS- even if you have never heard of a Dragon Boat before (but if you have been paying attention to this site, I hope you are getting a little bit of an education about what this recreational activity is all about), YOU CAN DO THIS!!

The official Website is almost ready, I will let you know when it is available- VERY SOON- lots of helpful explanations and suggestions to forming a TEAM.....

so think of your co-workers, your family, your knitting circle, your regular bar hangout crowd, your ski club, your church, your political party, your school....

WHO WANTS TO HAVE FUN FOR TWO MINUTES and support two local non profit groups, Arts Mid-Hudson and Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation?

YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

Since this is an "unofficial" site, not the actual authorized official Website, I am going to veer off and "personalize" it slightly--

My name is Peter Van Aken, and I am ENTERING A TEAM in this event- will you join me? A team consists of 16 paddlers plus a drummer, and then alternates- who substitute in during the afternoon (we race three times, and the finalists get a 4th race for the trophy) and the alternates are always a good idea if someone cannot make the Practice session or has to leave early on race day, or has a last minute conflict; you know, life happens...)

If we get a team of 20, the individual per person fee is $50. If we get a bigger team, well, that only reduces the cost, and then not everyone has to race 3 times. But the distance is only 200 meters, less than an eighth of a mile, the activity will only take around 2 minutes, this is being promoted as a "recreational" event, more for laughs and splashing and funny names and even costumes- so not a gritty exhausting effort-- but hey- it is a TEAM, and TEAMS want to WIN, don't they? And again, the key to a TEAM is to paddle together- if we are synchronized, we will be another team that is "strong" or "athletic" but not coordinated.

LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN pay $50 (or less) and PADDLE ON JULY 5th!! If you are not sure what you receive in return for your $50, Email me and I'll explain. TELL YOUR FRIENDS-
AWAKEN THE DRAGON July 5th!

Peter Van Aken- pokdragonboat@gmail.com