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