Indy SurviveOars Pink Dragon Boat Arrives at Geist Lake

On a drizzly Spring day at Geist Marina, a 43-foot-long boat ended its journey from China and was unloaded from a delivery truck into Geist Marina to the beat of the steady rain, portending the rhythmical beat of the drum lying sealed within their new dragon racing boat for members of the Indy SurviveOars, Indiana's first dragon boat racing team. Dragon boats are custom- built in China and cost about $30,000 to be built and shipped to the U.S.!

On a drizzly Spring day at Geist Marina, a 43-foot-long boat ended its journey from China and was unloaded from a delivery truck into Geist Marina to the beat of the steady rain, portending the rhythmical beat of the drum lying sealed within their new dragon racing boat for members of the Indy SurviveOars, Indiana's first dragon boat racing team. Dragon boats are custom- built in China and cost about $30,000 to be built and shipped to the U.S.!

The dedication ceremony was held April 13. The Indy SurviveOars has the first dragon boat in the world sporting a pink hand-carved dragon head with pink scales, tail, and drum. For the 43 team members of Indy SurviveOars, all breast cancer survivors, it's more than a sport; it's a "floating support group." President Lisa Heiden and Assistant Coach Nancy Lawton, a one-year survivor, explain that each race team has 22 people - 20 paddlers, one steerer and one drummer. The Indy SurviveOars plan to compete in their first dragon boat race in Windsor, Canada in July. Dr. Meghan McDonough, a Purdue University researcher is studying the development of social support among the Indy SurviveOars.

The Indy SurviveOars started with a few women and a dream in May 2007. Indy SurviveOars met their aggressive goal to be out on Geist Reservoir by Spring, thanks to the generosity of title sponsors Indiana University Simon Cancer Center and Clarian Health, along with support from Ed Martin Automotive Group, Dr. Timothy Goedde, The Sharon Bassett Foundation, Charles Schwab & Co., the law firm of Dann Pecar Newman and Kleinman, Northstar Computer Systems, Maverick Public Relations and Geist Marina.

We salute the ladies paddling the pink dragon for their unique effort to support one another and raise awareness for breast cancer!

The articles below were the ones we could find online -- if you have others, please send them to us so we can keep them to commemorate this event. Photos of the event are available on our site and on IndyStar.com.