Celebrating Five Years of Paddles with a Purpose
By Cindy Crowell.
Director of Public Relations.
Paddles with a Purpose.
Five years ago, in July 2019, a group of remarkable women came together to form Paddles with a Purpose, a Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat team in Austin, Texas. On July 18th they gathered to celebrate their strength, resilience, and the incredible journey they have been on together for the past 5 years.
Paddles with a Purpose was founded just before the world was shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the unprecedented challenges they faced, their team stayed dedicated and turned what could have been a setback into an opportunity for growth and unity, demonstrating that nothing could stand in the way of creating this amazing team.
Paddles with a Purpose has participated in festivals throughout the Texas and Oklahoma region as well as traveling to Miami, Florida to compete last fall. Plans for the future include more participation in national and international dragon boat competitions including the upcoming festival in Kansas City in September of this year and the IBCPC Dragon Boat Festival to be held in France in 2026.
Here's to many more years of paddling with a purpose, inspiring others, and making a difference in the lives of those affected by breast cancer.
