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This
event is destined to become one of Virginia
Beach's most fun and rewarding fundraisers.
For details call David Rourk at (757) 478-0150. |
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By Laine M. Rutherford, The Virginian-Pilot - September 24, 2006
OCEANFRONT - The challenge of keeping their paper boat afloat during the fourth annual Cardboard Boat Regatta wasn't enough for the crew of the Bud Light Barge.
They wanted more.
The rowers aboard the 10-person vessel wanted to show other participants in the unique fundraiser, held Sept. 7 at Ocean Breeze Waterpark, that they didn't need traditional paddles.
Table tennis paddles would work just fine, they surmised.
The sailors, employees and family of Atlantic Dominion Distributors stacked themselves in a prone position in the boat.
They rowed as a team, laughing as they struggled to keep themselves, and their boat, steady on the U-shaped course.
The barge made it through two heats before the paddle-waving crew, in a dramatic ending, went down with their ship, sputtering as they tried to hold its cardboard sides and bottom together.
Within seconds, all that was left was a sodden mass of cardboard and tape floating in the waves. With help from Commonwealth ChalleNGe volunteers, the debris was scooped out of the water and taken to the waiting trash bin.
"We have a great time out here," said Robin Ray, whose companies, Atlantic Dominion Distributors and Hoffman Beverages, have built and entered boats since the regatta inception. The Hoffman Beverages Boat was a Viking replica of Robin the Red. The crew carried shields, wore horned helmets and had an opera-singing woman aboard as their mascot.
"I buy all the materials and given them time to do this at work because it's for a good cause, and it's a lot of fun," Ray added.
The event is put on each year by The Virginia Beach Foundation and Beach Fund, the Seatack Neighborhood Assistance Program, or SNAP, Taylor's Do-It Centers, the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation Department.
All funds raised at the event benefit under-served youths in the Seatack Community. The money comes from boat entry fees and a $3 fee charge for those who don't want to get wet, but would rather watch the antics of the crews and guess about the durability of the boats.
Ocean Breeze donates the use of the park and the lifeguards, who keep watch and lend an occasional hand.
David Mount, director of street outreach programs at Seaton House Youth Shelters and a member of SNAP, helped organize this year's regatta.
"We switched the date from the spring, when we've traditionally had it, to the fall so people would have time to build their boats during the summer. We would have had a decent amount of entries if it weren't for (tropical storm) Ernesto coming through," he said.
"Some of the boats were being built and stored outside and the rain just soaked them before they could get them here, but we still had six entries and everyone had a great time."
Reach correspondent Laine Mednick Rutherford at Lmrvab@aol.com.
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