A few boats got shipwrecked, but most made it back to shore in good time at today’s Silly Boat Regatta.
One of Harbour City’s signature summer events and a fundraiser for the Nanaimo Child Development Centre, the regatta attracted 26 teams to Maffeo Sutton Park on Sunday, July 16, for a day of boat-building and racing.
“It went fabulous,” said Michelle Kocourek, who works in resource development with the CDC. “We put the fun in fundraising, that’s what we like to say.”
Island Red Cedar Construction won the racing for the third-straight year, adding a tiller to their successful design from past years and winning the final in a blistering one minute, 30 seconds.
“I heard someone say three is a dynasty…” said Sean Smith, team captain. “The boat did really well … It stayed afloat. We took on a bit of water there, we were getting a little worried, but it looked like it did pretty good.”
The Island Red Cedar team combined a pirate theme with an island of lost toys theme meant to relate to the CDC.
“We’re happy to win, but this such a great day, this is such a really exciting community event,” Smith said. “It’s such a great cause that we’re raising money for. It’s really nice to be able to give back and be a part of that.”
Kocourek said $85,000 had already been raised at the start of the day, most of the way to the child development centre’s goal of $100,000. She said the non-profit provides hundreds of services to children and their families.
“And every program and service is touched by fundraised money in some way – some completely,” she said.
editor@nanaimobulletin.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
