Church & Dwight donation aids the Princeton Warriors
By: Kara Fitzpatrick
The Princeton Warriors have received a new boat and it’s far from ordinary.
Princeton-based Church & Dwight Co., the consumer-products company, has donated a new dragon boat to the Princeton Warriors a local dragon boating team for breast-cancer survivors.
The donation was provided on behalf of the company’s employee giving fund, said Church & Dwight Senior Manager of Corporate Safety John Clark, who is also a Princeton Warriors assistant coach. The application on behalf of the Princeton Warriors, submitted by Mr. Clark, was selected by the company’s committee because "they felt it was a great idea," Mr. Clark said, adding the concept of Princeton Warriors is unique.
The new boat is a far cry from the makeshift watercraft that the team now consisting of 18 members has been using since the inception of the organization four years ago.
The new boat seats up to 26 and, like a traditional dragon boat, features the animal’s head, tail and a drummer. According to Jeanie Haas, Princeton Warriors founder, the new rig is quite different from the team’s former transportation an old canoe that was outfitted with PVC pipes and seated just six.
The new boat meets international dragon-boating standards and comes with a $13,000 price tag, Ms. Haas said.
Members of the public will have the opportunity to see firsthand what the dragon boat looks like during a dedication ceremony scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday on the South Post Road side of Mercer Lake at Mercer County Park.
Representatives from Church & Dwight will present the boat to the Princeton Warriors at the start of the ceremony. Then, Ms. Haas said, "We want to thank the people from Church & Dwight. We want to meet the people who have been so kind to us with their gift."
Following the presentation, members of the public will be offered rides on the dragon boat.
Princeton Warriors was founded in 2002 as a healing and support group for breast-cancer survivors. "It also strengthens our upper bodies, where we have had surgery," Ms. Haas said.
In Chinese culture, the dragon is a symbol of good luck and is believed to guard against illness, Ms. Haas explained. Involvement in Princeton Warriors "is almost like a vessel of hope and healing," she said.
A dragon boat racing crew consists of two rows of 10 paddlers, a helmswoman who uses an oar to steer, and a drummer who sets the pace to synchronize the paddlers.
The group, still looking for new members, participates in many races throughout the year. Dragon-boating competition takes them from Washington to Canada and New York.
For more information about the team or Saturday’s event, e-mail [email protected]