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CLUB HISTORY
The Stratford Dragon Boat Club was founded on April 8, 1997 by local paddlers with the help of the Rotary Club of Stratford. With the help of The Rotary Club of Stratford a dragon boat was purchased to start the club. On a cold windy April day in 1997, then Rotary President Steve Monteith christened the "Rotary I" boat and the club was born. The inaugural year saw the Stratford Women's Dragon Boat Team make a strong impact on the Ontario Dragon Boat racing circuit. Teams of the Stratford Dragon Boat Club have attended Canadian club crew qualifying races, North American Club Crew Championships and World Club Crew Championships. The Stratford Women's Dragon Boat Teams is one of the longest running women's team in North America. The Junior progam was initiated in 2002. Since 1997 the Stratford Dragon Boat Club has produced 26 national team paddlers who have gone on to the IDBF World Dragon Boat Championships.
Through an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant, the Stratford Dragon Boat Club received a grant of $19,600 to purchase two new boats 2004. Currently the paddlers in Stratford have access to four boats during the season. On January 12, 1999 the Bylaws of the Stratford Dragon Boat Club was enacted with the approval of its membership. On November 23, 2000, the Stratford Dragon Boat Club became incorporated non-profit corporation. The club has an executive that meets on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. The current SDBC Executive includes Ken Gene (president), Cathy Russell (treasurer) Sue Wakelin, Ruth Lacey, Pati Fader and Lynn Schellenberg. |