The Machestic Dragons’ eighth annual dragon boat festival, Paddle for Pink, raised $10,000 for area breast cancer organizations.
The group donated $6,000 to the Breast Cancer Resource Center at Princeton YWCA and $4,000 to the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey in New Brunswick.
Paddle for Pink, held June 21 at Mercer County Park, is a community-supported event where teams of 20 paddlers race dragon boats in different divisions. Although some Breast Cancer Survivor division teams travel from other states to race, historically the Community Teams division enrolls the greatest number of participants.
A team comprised of employees from Plainsboro-based company Integra’s Engineering Division, named Blazing Paddles, once again won first place in the community division .
The winner of the Breast Cancer Survivor division was Against the Wind from Philadelphia, Pa.
The Machestic Dragons always appreciate humorous team names. This year, the Princeton YWCA’s names, the Sea Cups and the Double Sea Cups, won the most smiles.
In addition to funds raised by race participants, Pennington resident Linda Willimer presented a $1,000 donation to the Machestic Dragons at the festival. Wilmer organized a bake sale and Mother’s Day Tea on the lawn of her home to support to Dragons.
More information is online at paddleforpink.org.
Pennington resident Linda Willimer presents a $1,000 donation to Machestic Dragons board president Carol Watchler at the eighth annual Paddle for Pink festival June 21, 2014.,
