Member stories – Annapolis Dragon Boat Club https://annapolisdragonboatclub.org Paddling with a Purpose Sun, 15 Sep 2024 22:35:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Kate and Becky https://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/kate-and-becky/ Sat, 30 Sep 2023 00:32:49 +0000 https://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/?p=6119 Kate and Becky at the 2023 New Zealand Dragon Boat Festival I have become your Texas representative of the Annapolis Dragon Boat Club. Anyone who I can get to stand still long enough to hear about your wonderful organization gets an earful! I’ve told my three closest friends, family members, my breast imaging center providers, and others who looked like they needed the information.

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]]> Barb Witten and Ashley Shaklee https://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/barb-and-ashley/ Sat, 11 Mar 2023 20:00:11 +0000 https://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/?p=5223 By Susan Okula Vera, Ashley, and Barb holding up 1, 2, and 3 fingers in the front row as the 3 generations celebrate with teammates after the Independence Dragon Boat Regatta in Philadelphia It was a day of firsts for mother and daughter and Annapolis Dragon Boat Club teammates Barb Witten and Ashley Shaklee. It was their first race, ever, at the Independence Dragon Boat Regatta in…

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]]> Shirl Nevas https://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/shirl-nevas/ Wed, 06 Nov 2019 21:59:21 +0000 http://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/?p=2680 By Susan Okula Clear your mind. Go fast. Find your passion. That’s what ADBC member Shirl Nevas would tell you about why she likes to get in a dragon boat. Shirl, a four-year veteran of the club, spends her weekdays working in Washington, D.C. as the creative director of the United States Mint, a position she’s held since 1998. Her work hours are filled with schedules and deadlines in…

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]]> Joni Krafft https://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/joni-krafft/ Thu, 18 Jul 2019 12:26:04 +0000 http://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/?p=2459 By Susan Okula There’s nothing like the moments right before the start of a dragon boat race for Joni Adrian Krafft. “Sit ready!” bellows the helmsperson, who is often Coach Peter Van de Castle. And the 20 members of the race crew bend their heads, lean forward in their seats, and extend their paddles, arms held straight out, paddles parallel to the water. It’s quiet in the boat…

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]]> Mike Sherwood https://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/mike-sherwood/ Sat, 02 Feb 2019 23:01:33 +0000 http://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/?p=1431 By Susan Okula Messing around in boats is second nature to Mike Sherwood. And he’s also a natural for steering for the Annapolis Dragon Boat Club. While the club has 80 plus members, only a handful (both men and women) stand ready to grab the 9-foot steering oar and head to the back of the boat. As a steersperson, Mike stands behind a dragon boat’s 20-person paddling crew (who are all…

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]]> Lynda Plaisted https://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/lynda-plaisted/ Tue, 02 Oct 2018 15:08:52 +0000 http://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/?p=800 By Susan Okula It was a most unwelcome journey, but one she had to take. Lynda Plaisted spent a year fighting breast cancer with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Even after her treatment was completed, Lynda’s trek was not over. The Annapolis Dragon Boat Club became her pathway to emotional healing. “It’s my second family,” Lynda says about club members. “They are my friends and so…

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]]> Chandra Jackson https://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/chandra-jackson/ Tue, 02 Oct 2018 15:07:59 +0000 http://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/?p=798 By Susan Okula If you need convincing that the Annapolis Dragon Boat Club is all about life, love, support and health, meet Chandra Jackson. “I just try to be kind,” Chandra says. “I love to laugh and be with my friends and my family. You just have to be a good person, because that’s what God wants you to be.” Chandra’s warmth shines on everyone in the ADBC. And it gets reflected right…

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]]> Carolyn Granger https://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/carolyn-granger/ Tue, 02 Oct 2018 15:06:51 +0000 http://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/?p=796 By Susan Okula Carolyn Granger is a swimmer and a walker. For most of her life, she never even imagined she would be part of a team. But then she joined the Annapolis Dragon Boat Club. “Here I am, 72 years old, and I’m in a team sport!” Carolyn says. “I find that astonishing!” She signed up in 2015 at the invitation of another member. Carolyn was undergoing chemotherapy for stage 1 breast…

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]]> Maggie Benshaw https://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/maggie-brenshaw/ Tue, 02 Oct 2018 15:05:02 +0000 http://annapolisdragonboatclub.org/?p=794 By Susan Okula Maggie Benshaw was 28 when she moved to Annapolis in 2017. An Annapolis High School English and creative writing teacher, Maggie was looking for something active to do that would get her out on the water in her new city. She first heard about the club from member Bernadette Grizzle. At the time, Bernadette was Maggie’s teacher in a masters-level education course.

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