By Nila Harris
ALEXANDRIA — It was a beautiful Saturday, with temperatures ranging in the mid- to high 60s at A.J. Jolly Park for the 16th annual Dragon Boat Festival.
Dragon boat teams in matching gear, food and craft vendors, basket auctions, T-shirt sales, split-the-pot, raffles and thousands of participants, families and supporters were at the event.
Phyllis Kelsch, breast cancer survivor and member of the Kentucky Thorough-Breast team, said, “Everybody on the team submits a basket or contributes to one.”
She said she works on the fundraiser for breast cancer awareness in July and all through August, including a “girls’ day to wrap baskets.”
This year, 86 baskets were part of a silent auction, raising money to “support the mission to promote breast health, women’s health, and breast cancer awareness through the promotion of early detection,” according to the paddling for cancer awareness (p4ca.org), a 501-3 tax-exempt organization which sponsors the event.
Susan Roeder and members of the KTB team created a wooden shelf with pegs for hanging medals earned. She contracted with a Cincinnati company to make laser printouts, and the team stained, painted and put pieces together as a decorative collectible available for purchase.
Roeder had an aunt who died from breast cancer and didn’t know she had it until the day she died. Roeder helps support early detection of breast cancer in memory of her aunt Janice.
Attendee Vicky Lynn of Alexandria said that this year makes her third year at the Dragon Boat Festival. She attends to support her sister, Debbie McClure, who is a four-year breast cancer survivor.
McClure went to Christ Oncology for her treatments and was invited to be part of their team. She stated that it is fun, and participating in the rose ceremony is very moving.
The rose ceremony shows each breast cancer survivor attendee tossing a rose into the water after their names and number of years as a survivor are announced.
This emotional ceremony recalls those who have passed from the dreaded disease too.
Crystal Simpson said she has been involved in dragon boat racing for 12 years. She first started paddling on one team, then formed her own team, Breast Friends, in 2014.
Simpson’s grandmother, Louise Vanlandingham, was a widow trying to raise seven kids when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Simpson said she can’t imagine how her grandma did it — fighting for her life and raising a family.
With Breast Friends, Simpson and her team have raised $50,000 in 10 years’ time. After having raffles, a bake sale, a car show and percentage nights at El Paso and Gold Star, they were able to submit $16,804 this year.
She asserts that friends Melissa Dawson and Krystal Colemire are her “right hand and left hand” and provided tremendous support. Simpson’s significant other, Shane Sumpter, “helps them (the team) go with whatever idea they’ve got.”
“He brings the tools,” Simpson said with a laugh.
Fellow team member Rhonda Wright joined the team to support her sister-in-law breast cancer survivor Kelly Cox, who has also been a part of Breast Friends since the team started.
Oakland Christian Church member Vicky King said she comes to support the Oakland Crusaders. Her husband, Rick, paddles on the team. The Kings’ son Jason paddled with the team last year, but was called away on a work trip and was disappointed that he could not participate this year.
Another OCC member, Peggy Wiggins, was at the event to support her two daughters, Laura Crawford and Sarah Wiggins, who were paddling on Oakland’s team.
Andy Rachford, Alexandria, said that 2024 was his first time coming to the festival at A.J. Jolly.
“My mom is dragon-boating for Kentucky Thorough-Breast. She paddles for her sister-in-law who is a breast cancer survivor,” he said.
Members of the Pendleton County Beef Cattle Association Dawn and Jimmy Roseberry were on hand selling ribeye sandwiches, hot dogs and meals with chips. The couple got involved after being recruited to paddle by their friend Kenna Knight on the Pendleton County Extension Office team. They later continued their support as a food vendor.
According to Kentucky Thorough-Breasts Coach Priscilla Harris Elgersma, there were approximately 2,000 attendees at the park and more than $35,000 raised Saturday for breast cancer awareness.
Donations can be made through https://www.p4ca.org/donation.