Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2001
From: Shirley S. T. Gee (sgee@worldnet.att.net)
To: Eastshore State Park (eastshore_statepark@hotmail.com)
As the Eastshore State Park project is already underway, we would like to
officially submit the following information for consideration and inclusion
as you contemplate use for this public park:
Dragon boating is one of the fastest growing water sports in the world and
its growth in the Bay Area in the last five years has been phenomenal. With
a rich history that goes back to China 2,000 years, it has rapidly become
the sport of choice for communities who are trying to help youth navigate
through their adolescent years physically and pschologically intact. It is
through dragon boating that we teach youth the importance of being part of a
broader community and the positive benefits which can be derived from such
an association. Dragon boating is one of the most "inclusive" sports
available and enables athletes of all abilities to participate; hence its
popularity. A "couch potato" and football athlete can get into a boat and
be "athletic equals". There are no superstars in dragon boating, just
teammates.
A dragon boat is a 48 foot canoe which seats 20 paddlers (two abreast), a
drummer and a steerer. Teams race down lanes (3-12 lanes) for distances as
short as 250 meters to as long as 1200 meters. With a crew of 25 per team
(22 in a boat at a time), this sport teaches not only teamwork, but respect
for their community and the environment in which they live and play. In the
process they are also exposed to the concept of heritage and tradition which
is important to the preservation of cultures.
The International Dragon Boat Association, producers of the annual
California International Dragon Boat Festival in Jack London Square, also
has used dragon boating as a vehicle for community development. We have
successfully trained over 3500 youth and parents to paddle over the last 5
years. Dragon boating is a very user friendly sport with paddlers ranging
from 13-65 years old. Dragon Boating is also the means by which we have
gotten communities of interest (and of disinterest) together to learn about
one another and to experience first hand our marine environment and the
awesome responsibility of being respectful custodians of nature.
We all came down a canoe at some point in our collective history on the
rivers of our ancestors... it is appropriate that we should meet again on
the waters to learn about one another and about a gift called, "nature". In
the last five years, we have demonstrated that people, animals and nature
can co-exist harmoniously together. We have also demonstrated to our
children that nature should be "experienced", not just viewed; as it was
intended to "feed the soul, not just the eyes". And in letting them
experience the birds, animals and elements, they came to appreciate nature
and natural things as they no longer viewed these things from an abstract
view (as from a book), but from hearing, seeing, feeling, and smelling these
things. What better way to teach respect for nature then from nature
itself.
Dragon boating is a wonderful way to access nature, community, and youth and
we hope the Eastshore State Park project will include the dragon boat
community as it begins to solidify its vision so that "all" people will have
access to the public facilities, not just a few select or special interest
groups. Not only does our community believe in the "spirt of the dragon",
but our local, state and national public officials have come to embrace it
as well.
Respectfully submitted,
Shirley Gee
President and Founder
International Dragon Boat Association