Meet the Dragon Divas! - SportsEngine · 2019. 12. 4. · 2 Mission Statement The mission of Dragon...
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1 About Dragon Divas and Dragon Boating Dragon Divas was founded in 2006 with 8 breast cancer survivors on board, bringing a message of hope that those diagnosed with this disease could return to active lifestyles and enjoy a full life after treatment. Today with more than 80 members, we embody our message by advocating year-round physical fitness, racing dragon boats at regional events each season, and promoting education and outreach activities through the year. Winning races isn’t our primary goal; instead, we are a unique group of women who enjoy the sport of dragon boat racing to empower each member to improve her personal physical and mental fitness. Dragon Divas is a cohesive, supportive team both on and off the water, committed to promoting awareness of the importance of early breast cancer detection. Dragon boats are long, colorful vessels adorned with a dragon head at the front and tail at the back, and room for 20 paddlers, a drummer and a stern. Dragon boat racing became connected with breast cancer in 1996 as a result of studies challenging the prevailing medical thinking that women treated for breast cancer should avoid rigorous upper body exercise. The studies not only debunked the myths about exercise, they revealed that participants experienced physical and mental health benefits as a result of dragon boat paddling. There are currently more than 140 Breast Cancer Survivor (BCS) dragon boat racing teams around the world. Meet the Dragon Divas! An all-volunteer nonprofit organization Photo courtesy St. Paul Pioneer Press
Transcript of Meet the Dragon Divas! - SportsEngine · 2019. 12. 4. · 2 Mission Statement The mission of Dragon...
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AboutDragonDivasandDragonBoatingDragonDivaswasfoundedin2006with8breastcancersurvivorsonboard,bringingamessageofhopethatthosediagnosedwiththisdiseasecouldreturntoactivelifestylesandenjoyafulllifeaftertreatment.Todaywithmorethan80members,weembodyourmessagebyadvocatingyear-roundphysicalfitness,racingdragonboatsatregionaleventseachseason,andpromotingeducationandoutreachactivitiesthroughtheyear.Winningracesisn’tourprimarygoal;instead,weareauniquegroupofwomenwhoenjoythesportofdragonboatracingtoempowereachmembertoimproveherpersonalphysicalandmentalfitness.DragonDivasisacohesive,supportiveteambothonandoffthewater,committedtopromotingawarenessoftheimportanceofearlybreastcancerdetection.Dragonboatsarelong,colorfulvesselsadornedwithadragonheadatthefrontandtailattheback,androomfor20paddlers,adrummerandastern.Dragonboatracingbecameconnectedwithbreastcancerin1996asaresultofstudieschallengingtheprevailingmedicalthinkingthatwomentreatedforbreastcancershouldavoidrigorousupperbodyexercise.Thestudiesnotonlydebunkedthemythsaboutexercise,theyrevealedthatparticipantsexperiencedphysicalandmentalhealthbenefitsasaresultofdragonboatpaddling.Therearecurrentlymorethan140BreastCancerSurvivor(BCS)dragonboatracingteamsaroundtheworld.
MeettheDragonDivas!Anall-volunteernonprofitorganization
PhotocourtesySt.PaulPioneerPress
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MissionStatementThemissionofDragonDivasistodemonstratethatafullandactivelifeispossibleafterabreastcancerdiagnosis.Ourorganizationprovidesanopportunityformemberstoconnectwithotherbreastcancersurvivorsinasupportiveenvironmenttoenhancephysical,emotionalandspiritualhealth.Wearededicatedtopromotingtheearlydetectionofbreastcancerandraisingawarenessinthecommunityoftheimportanceofphysicalfitnessinfightingthisdisease.Throughourmessageandactions,DragonDivashonorthememoryofthosewhohavediedfromthediseaseandtheblessingstheyhavebestowedonoursurvivorship.CoreValuesAsateamofthrivingbreastcancersurvivors,weliveourcorevalues:• HEALTH:Weemphasizethebenefitsofexerciseinlivinglongerandthrivingfollowingadiagnosis
ofbreastcanceranddemonstratehowtolivealifewithoutlimitsfollowingthediagnosis.
• AWARENESS:Wepromoteawarenessinthewidercommunityabouttheimportanceofearlydetectionandthebenefitsofanactivelifestyleinfightingthisdisease.
• SUPPORT:Wearededicatedtohelpingsurvivorsattaintheirpersonalwellbeinginbodyandspirit.Wesupportandencourageeachother’sjourneythroughmentorshipandouruniquecamaraderie.
• REMEMBRANCE:Wehonorthosewhohavegonebeforeusforwhattheyhavetaughtusaboutlivingwithanddyingfromthisdisease,andwhattheirjourneyhastaughtourphysiciansandresearchersaboutcuringthisdisease.
• TEAMWORK:Wepulltogetherasateamtoliveourvaluesandattainourgoals.• HONESTY&SPORTSMANSHIP:Weconductourselveswithauthenticitytemperedbycompassion
inthespiritoflove.Wedemonstrateourspiritbybeinggraciousinvictoryanddefeat.OurMembershipandGeographicAreaServedThroughoutoutreachprogramsweencourageallbreastcancersurvivorstoliveactiveandvibrantlivesthroughoutSt.Paul,Minneapolis,andsurroundingcommunitiesincludingwesternWisconsin.EachseasonweparticipateinDragonBoatfestivalsinMinnesotaandthebroaderupperMidwestregionInJuly2018,wepaddledintheInternationalBreastCancerSurvivorDragonBoatFestivalinFlorence,Italy,where125BCSteamsand3,500+survivorscametogethertocelebratesurvivorshipinaspiritoffriendlycompetition.DragonDivas2020festivalschedule:
• BigBlueDragonBoatFestival,LaCrosseWI:June20• ChicagoInternationalDragonBoatFestival:July25• WhiteBearLakeDragonBoatFestival,WhiteBearLakeMN:August8• LakeSuperiorDragonBoatFestival,SuperiorWI:August22
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PartneringwithDragonDivasWeareanall-volunteer501(c)(3)nonprofitorganization.AllfundsdonateddirectlysupporttheDragonDivasteam,benefitlocalbreastcancersurvivors,andpromotecancereducationwithinourcommunity.Itisinthisspiritthatweinviteyoutopartnerwithus.Thechartbelowdetailsthebenefitsofsponsorshipavailableatvariouslevelsofgiving,includingin-kinddonations. SponsorshiplevelsRewards Bronzepaddle
$250-$999Silverpaddle$1,000-$2,4999
Goldpaddle$2,5000-$4,999
Platinumpaddle$5,000&above
RecognitioninDragonDiva’sAnnualreport,website&Facebookpage
X X X X
Name&logoondisplayatDragonDivasfestivalsandpublicevents
X X X
DragonDivasmemberswillspeakatCorporateevents
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Logodisplayedonteamraceshirts XDragonDivaOutreach
• DragonDivassponsorededucationalworkshops• DragonDivaspackmealsatFeedOurStarvingChildren• DragonDivasvolunteeratSecondHarvestHeartland• DragonDivasbuildwithHabitatforHumanity• DragonDivasfeaturedintheNorthOakscommunityparade• DragonDivasspeakatvariouseventsrelatedtobreastcancer,includingsupportgroups• DragonDivaspreparedmealsatRonaldMcDonaldHousecharities• DragonDivascollectToysforTotsandappearonKARE11broadcast• Divastraintogetheroffseasonwithyoga,spin,strengthtraining,andzumbaclasses
DragonDivasinthemedia2018-2019
• October2019;NorthOaksLiving;DragonDivas,BreathingFire,LightingTorches• July13,2019;St.PaulPioneerPress;Welcometodragonboatracingphotogallery• June23,2018;St.PaulPioneerPress;ThesebreastcancersurvivorsarepaddlingTwinCities
watersforgloryinItalyDragonDivasinthemediainpreviousyearsComcastNewsmakers,WCCOChannel4LifeStories,WhiteBearPress,TownLifeMagazineWhiteBearLake,VadnaisHeightsPress,ShoreviewPress,Villagerpapers,ForestLakePress,MinneapolisStarTribune,WoodburyMagazine,NewRichmondNews,SuperiorTelegram,Messenger,NewIowa,AlumniNewsfromSt.Catherine’sUniversity,Fox9RV,Kare11TV,ShoreviewcableTV,WTIP90.7,PeterboroughCanadaTV,NorthlandNewsCenterContactUsdragondivas@gmail.comwww.dragondivasmn.orgwww.facebook.com/DragonDivasMailingaddress:305HarborLane,ShoreviewMN55126501(c)(3)nonprofitorganizationTaxID#:64-0949728
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