HAMILTON — The seventh annual Dragon Boat Festival expects to raise upwards of $100,000 for Cancer Support Community New Jersey programs.
CSCNJ’s programs offer resources and support for women, men and children of all ages impacted by cancer at any point in their cancer journey.
“All the proceeds go towards keeping those programs going and incorporating new programs every day,” Developmental Director Jessica Melville said.
Cancer Support Community offers support groups for people diagnosed with cancer as well as groups for loved ones of those affected by cancer. Social activities are available as well – crafting, book club and exercise classes. Different workshops teach about cancer treatment, special makeup people can wear during treatment, medical marijuana, other medical services and more.
These programs are offered at CSCNJ’s main location at Gilda’s Club in Linwood. Satellite locations are at AtlantiCare Cancer Center in Egg Harbor Township, the Inspira Health medical center in Mullica Hill and Vineland and Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck. A variety of programs are also available online.
“It is absolutely important to uphold this festival and keep it growing,” Melville said. “Unfortunately, cancer impacts so many people on so many different levels every single day. Cancer Support Community wants to always be here and available to those in the local community and the entire state of New Jersey to help everyone who has been impacted by cancer.”
Since 2015, the annual festival has grown to include other events alongside the boat races and sees many participants. Attendees can enjoy dragon boat races, live entertainment, a beer tent, face-painting, food trucks, axe throwing and various other vendors.
“Over time we’ve grown from a handful of teams to, this year, 40 teams participating,” Melville said.
Registration for the boat race is full; the festival will feature more than 800 paddlers. The event is free to the public, though a donation is suggested for spectators. Melville said the festival draws more than 2,000 people, making it CSCNJ’s biggest fundraiser.
Boat race teams are broken into three categories — club teams, community teams and corporate teams.
Inspired by the traditional Chinese holiday, Dragon Boat Festival, Melville said the event holds many customary Chinese elements.
A traditional eye-dotting ceremony precedes the boat race. Six individuals who have greatly impacted the organization or festival are invited to paint the eyes of the dragon head of the boat. This is symbolic of awakening the dragon for the race that day.
Each team will compete in three heats throughout the day. The races are done with three teams at a time; every team will do a race against two other boats three times throughout the day. There are two qualifying races and then the final.
The teams will take a one-hour lunch break, during which the flower ceremony will take place. Cancer survivors participating in the race are gathered for a moment of silence. They get into the three boats and go out onto the water with flowers. A long-time member of the CSCNJ reads a poem over the microphone. At the completion of the poem, the cancer survivors toss their flowers into the water in memory of those lost to cancer.
At the conclusion of the 200-meter boat races, there are gold, silver and bronze medals for the winning team of each category as well as the categories of breast cancer survivors and all cancer survivors.
“We encourage the teams to dress up or have a theme,” Melville said. “We give out trophies for the best-themed team, the best decorated tent, our top-fundraising team and our top-fundraising individual.”
Enough casino and hospital fundraising participants allows for the festival to give out two special awards — a casino cup and a hospital cup.
Top sponsors of this event include Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Sponsor Margate Dairy Bar & Burger sells shaved ice. Tito’s Homemade Vodka sets up a truck and sells cocktails. All proceeds are given to the fundraiser.
The Dragon Boat Festival takes place on July 9 at Lake Lenape East Park. Team Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Opening Ceremonies are at 8:30 a.m.; the first race kicks off at 9 a.m. Races are typically wrapped up between 3 and 4 p.m., with the award ceremony immediately following.
By JOELLE CARR/For the Sentinel