CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One World Dragon Boat has reached an important milestone recently by purchasing their own boat.
With the assistance of a $2,500 grant from the Charlotte Lesbian & Gay Fund, they were able to use it as a spring board to obtain a one-time used boat.
Over the last year, One World has netted Best Float in the 2014 Bank of America Charlotte Pride Parade, held a raffle at the celebration and enjoyed an after-party full of energy. By collecting $8,500 through the fundraisers and contributions from friends and family, the dream of having their own boat came to fruition.
Denise Bauer, founder of One World, said that the boat “carried cancer survivors in a world competition that was held in Sarasota during October 2014.” She shared that they were proud to have such a legacy as part of their team and named it Triumph.
In mid-February, the boat was paired with a newly-built trailer. It was fabricated by Central Piedmont Community College’s welding class in the James Turner Institute of Welding Technology at the Charlotte campus. Jennifer Stockwell, a One World paddler, helped to make this possible by approaching the department head, Steve Gore, to secure the services. Instructor Johnny Johnson supervised student Jonathan Skaggs who has served as project coordinator with assistance by Brian Durrette. The Huntersville campus will do the automotive work and painting.
“We are thrilled and exhilarated by the entire process because it is words in action, it is ‘building community through sport,’ a win-win for the community, for Jonathan, the wonderful and magnetic young student, our team and the college,” Bauer concluded.
The boat will be ready to use when the season opens.
info: oneworlddragonboat.org.
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Congratulations and good luck!