More than 500 paddlers will compete in the ancient Chinese sport of dragon boat racing Saturday, Sept. 7, at Stone Lake, LaPorte. Think of them as canoes on steroids: each holds 16 to 20 paddlers and the vessels are adorned with a dragon head and tail at the bow and stern. A drummer aboard each boat keeps the amateur paddlers in rhythm (hopefully).Perhaps more than power, finesse is the key to winning this race!
Races begin at 9 a.m., rain or shine. The teams, entering from local businesses and organizations, are: Acme Communications, LaPorte Hospital, Nipsco, Franciscan Health Michigan City, Southshore Skipping Stones, First Church of God, American Licorice, American Renolit, Applegate & Company, CPAs, Blind Pig, Duneland Media/Laura K All Day and BWW, UPS, Journey Church, Chicago Phoenix, Horizon Bank, Little Shop of Horrors, #LAPORTEPROUD!!, LaPorte High School Choruses, New Prairie High School, Michigan City High School, and La Lumiere High School.
Come and watch! Enjoy child-friendly activities, face painting, music and food vendors from Christ Gospel Church and food from Redamak’s.
Proceeds from the Dragon Boat Races will provide vital support for Dunebrook’s parent education and family strengthening programs, Body Safety and public education programs and Child Advocacy Center.
LaPorte County suffered 359 substantiated cases of child sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect in 2018. (Indiana Dept. of Child Services, 2018). Dunebrook is located at 7451 W. Johnson Rd.; call 219/874-0007 and visit www.dunebrook.org.