Dragon boat teams race for a York/Toronto United Way on Lake Seneca

Dragon boat race for United Way has raised close to $1 million over last 12 years

YorkRegion.com
Aug. 13, 2016
By Michael Hayakawa

For 25 dragon boat teams that took to the waters of Lake Seneca at Seneca College’s King City campus Saturday, they did so for a common cause.

Not so much to see which 22-member team had the fastest vessel in the 250-metre race.
Moreso, they were there to raise funds as part of a dragon boat festival to support the work of the United Way of Toronto and York Region.

Daniele Zanotti, president and chief executive officer of the United Way Toronto and York Region, cited this year’s event, known as the Dragon Boat Race for the United Way, marks the 13th year they have staged this one-day festival that also saw participants spending their downtime partaking in a variety of outdoor games and socializing before the sounds of piped-in music.

“It’s a little more than last year,” he said of the number of participating boats, which included six new entries this year. “It’s a great number to have because it enables the event to be well paced and everyone gets the most out of this experience.”
Of the teams that took part in this year’s festival, Zanotti pointed out they came from a variety of fields including corporate partners, the Region of York, some public agencies and York Regional Police.

Citing their dragon boat festival has raised close to $1 million over the past 12 years, Zanotti feels the objective of this event fits in well with the United Way’s philosophy of working as a collective unit toward a common objective.

“It’s a perfect microcosm of the United Way with 20 rowers in a boat (not including a drummer and steerer) who row in sync and collaboratively work towards a goal,” he said. 
The fastest vessels over four heats are then placed into one of four different categories.
The vessels with the fastest times compete with each other and so on down the line so, in the end, there’s a final for each of four categories and a winner emerges from each.

While Zanotti was pleased how this year’s festivities unfolded despite being held under ominous skies and the occasional bursts of rain showers, other participants were equally glad to be on hand and assist in this worthy cause.

An active participant over the past eight years as a part of IBM’s dragon boat team, Dave Robitaille, IBM director of corporate citizenship, noted their company had two vessels on the water for this year’s event.

What entices him to be a part of the festivities each year is that it enables their Markham-based Canadian headquarters to remain actively involved in community-based events within York Region.

“IBM Canada will be 100 years old next year and we’ve partnered with the United Way in a number of community events,” he said. “We’re here to support the United Way and to be out in the community.”

With a conglomerate that employs a large number of people, Robitaille also noted the dragon boat festival presents an opportunity for those interested in being a part of the team to get to know each other as they might not interact with them during work hours.

“It’s a great way for our employees to get out of the office and have a fun time,” he said.
Noting the Dragon Boat Race for the United Way is the only event staged in York Region, Gary Miner, a spokesman for the 32-member York Dragons team comprised of the York Regional Police, volunteers, civilians and auxiliary members, said the festival fits in with their motto, which is “to have fun paddling while raising money for a worthy cause.”

Entering this year’s event, Miner cited they raised close to $2,300, with each paddler responsible for donating a minimum of $60.

“Every paddler contributes to their pledges,” he said. 

In the end, “everybody’s a winner,” added Zanotti.