We are proud to sponsor Abreast of Bridge – The inaugural Lethbridge Dragon Boat team that started it all. Just over 25 years ago, a few local breast cancer survivors met up for lunch and decided to do something as a group after undergoing treatment. They started a walking group, and covered many a km around the Lethbridge coulees and Henderson Lake.
Once they got wind of a Dragon Boat team in Vancouver made up entirely of breast cancer survivors, the Lethbridge group were inspired by these women and decided to create their own dragon boat team. Soon the Calgary Canoe and Kayak Club donated a voyager canoe for the ladies to practice with. With that was born the Abreast of ‘Bridge dragon boat team.
They participated in their first dragon boat festival in Calgary in 2000, with the goal of finishing the race. They not only accomplished their goal, they also placed third amongst the breast cancer survivor teams.
It wasn’t long before the first Lethbridge Dragon Boat Festival was put on in 2002. A new Rotary club was created and with the help of the other two clubs, the first dragon boat festival at Henderson Lake drew 17 teams, including teams from Calgary. Today the event has supported 84 teams and is well known across the country, as it has become the race that kicks off the dragon boat season.
The Women’s Soccer Association in Lethbridge is proud to sponsor and support this incredible group of women – and we are grateful for their time and energy when the join us each year to help make our Finals Night celebration such a success.