Dragon Boats on their mark for local cancer patients

With 31 Dragon Boat teams in the race to for the best boat speeds and the most money raised for the foundation's Circle of Hope services for local cancer patients, the on-the-water action will begin at 7 p.m. Friday with the festival's second annual Battle of the Badges between teams of rowers from area and police, fire and emergency medical response agencies.

The 40-foot wooden dragon boat races will resume at 8 a.m. Saturday with an "Awakening of the Waters" ceremony led by the Sullivan Central High School's drumline and the opening of an all-day lakeside festival featuring a lineup of fun, fundraising activities for people of all ages.

The festival will include a Dragon Land with free face-painting, games and activities for kids of all ages, including Silly String battles at cost of two cans for a $5 donation to help benefit pediatric oncology patients and a cornhole tournament with a $20 two-person entry fee and a custom Dragon Boat Festival cornhole set grand prize.

Tennessee Brew Works of Nashville will be offering samples of their new State Park Blonde Ale from noon to 2 p.m.

Mountain States Health Alliance will be offering a free health fair.

And for festival-goers' four-legged friends the festival will include a best dog costume contest with prizes from Sticky Paws Bakery.

On the water, the colorful Dragon Boats and their 20-member paddling teams will be racing dragon head to dragon head, starting at 8:30 a.m. and wrapping up at 4 p.m with a championship award presentation. The Murray Guard Marauders are the festival's three-time champions and will be back this year to defend their title.

Children ages 7-12 with an adult to accompany them in the boat will also have a chance to compete in Dragon Boat races in a special kids' heat starting at noon. The children's race entry fee is a $10 per child and includes the opportunity to take part in the festival's Dragon Parade and a small gift. Registration will begin at 10:30 a.m.

With sunny weather and a daytime high of 74 degrees in the forecast for Saturday, this year's estival has potential to be one of the most successful in the event's 12-year history.

The weekend boat races and festival will top off weeks of fundraising activities conducted by the teams and their sponsors in a quest not only for the best speeds on the water but for most funds raised to help patients with the incidental costs of cancer treatment.

All proceeds will go to the Circle of Hope program for cancer patients in need of financial assistances with medications, dental care, gasoline cards, public transportation and other costs of keeping up a cancer-treatment regime

According to the foundation, cancer patients make between 75 to 100 trips for treatments, surgeries, scans and doctor visits annually. Dennis Roach, of Erwin, can attest to how much the Center of Hope gas cards provide.

"I can't even begin to tell you how much Circle of Hope has helped me and my family," Roach said. "I was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma in October of 2015 and I had to make dozens of trips for treatment. I couldn't work and my wife had to take time off of her job to take care of me. When you're going back and forth, gas adds up."

Stacie Davis, an oncology educator at the Regional Cancer Center, said the program gives patients "one less thing to worry about while they focus on recovery."

Subway Restaurants are this year's presenting festival sponsor and will continue the fundraising through Sept. 15, matching every $1 donation their customers make and throwing in a $1 coupon on the giver's next footlong sandwich to boot.

Warriors Path State Park is located near Colonial Heights, just off Interstate 81 and Tenn. Highway 36 at 490 Hemlock Road, Kingsport.

For more information about the Dragon Boat races and festival and the Circle of Hope program it will benefit, visit www.mshadragon.org or call the foundation at 423-952-3110.

Email Sue Guinn Legg at slegg@johnsoncitypress.com. Follow her on Twitter @sueleggjcpress. Like her on Facebook at facebook.com/sueleggjcpress.