Registration for the 2024 Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival opens on Sunday (February 25) at ptbodragonboat.ca, with the first three teams to register winning a free bonus lake practice.
The 23rd annual fundraising festival for breast cancer care will take place on Saturday, June 8th at Del Crary Park in Peterborough and will once again feature dragon boat races on Little Lake, artisan and food vendors, a family fun zone, a beer garden, and more.
Last year’s festival raised a record-breaking $290,025.18 for equipment to screen, diagnose, and treat breast cancer and other cancers at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC), surpassing the original fundraising goal of $205,000.18 by over $85,000.
Like last year, this year’s fundraising goal amount is a variation of the sobering numbers that two out of five Canadians will be diagnosed with some form of cancer in their lifetime and one in eight women will develop breast cancer.
“Our goal of $251,825.18 reflects these statistics and the importance of screening equipment and early detection,” says festival chair Michelle Thornton in a media release. “We know it’s an aggressive goal, but cancer can be (aggressive) too. That’s why the festival planning committee volunteers are committed to working hard and we look forward to welcoming everyone to such a worthy and important community fundraising event.”
Hosted by the Survivors Abreast Dragon Boat Team, Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival was first launched in June 2001 as Liberty Mutual’s “Day on the Water”, becoming Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival the following year. Over the past 22 years, it has raised more than $4.2 million for breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment in the Peterborough region.
“We’ve always focused on breast cancer awareness and raising funds for the PRHC,” says Survivors Abreast team president Ann Stabler. “We know first hand the importance of the work the PRHC Foundation does, and their continuing mission to bring the best cancer care the world has to offer, right here to our hospital.”
Proceeds from the 2024 festival will support Peterborough Regional Health Centre’s continued investment in new state-of-the-art equipment and technology to serve more cancer patients close to home by providing earlier cancer diagnosis and safer and more effective treatments.
“With cancer volumes on the rise and an increasing number of patients from Peterborough and the surrounding area seeking treatment at PRHC, our hospital’s ability to provide expert, compassionate cancer treatment depends on having state-of-the-art equipment and technology,” says PRHC Foundation president and CEO Lesley Heighway.
“But the government doesn’t fund equipment, so our hospital counts on donations to purchase the tools needed to provide care to our family, friends, and neighbours. That’s why Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival is such a vital fundraiser for our community — the festival helps save lives.”
Along with community members pledging to support the dragon boat teams that will be racing on Little Lake on June 8, the festival relies on the support of local businesses and organizations to cover expenses and provide the best experience possible for participants. Kawartha Credit Union, which has been the festival’s presenting sponsor every year since 2001, is returning to support the festival for their 23rd year.
“Care for others is one of our core values and we are passionate about contributing to the well-being of the communities we serve,” says Kawartha Credit Union’s president and CEO. “We demonstrate our commitment through our words and actions, and being the presenting sponsor of Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival is a great example. We encourage our partners in the community to provide financial support while also participating in a fun event that unites Peterborough and our surrounding areas in a common goal to improve local health care resources.”
Registration for the 22nd edition of Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival opens just after midnight on Sunday, February 25th at ptbodragonboat.ca. The first three teams to register will win a free extra practice in a dragon boat on Little Lake.
