CLARENCE VALLEY
DRAGONS ABREAST inc.
Treasure Chests
PO BOX 313, MACLEAN NSW 2463
General Contact: 1300 889 566
nswnorthcoast@dragonsabreast.com.au (Regional Representative)
and clarencevalley@dragonsabreast.com.au
We welcome all who wish to come and try this great sport. To anyone travelling, please make a point of stopping and come for a paddle with us on our beautiful Clarence River. You are bound to enjoy the experience and we will enjoy meeting you.
Sports Team. Our club now offers 2 sessions of paddling per meeting. The first run is for those who have higher strength levels and need that little extra challenge. This is followed by a more gentle, social paddle. Hopefully, we now satisfy the needs of everyone.
Our News ~
So far this year our members have had fun participating in the Chinese New Year Regatta in Sydney and the local Taree Regatta. In April some of our members attended the very informative Coffs Harbour Conference which concluded with a fun paddle up the Coffs Creek(just before the floods). It was a great weekend and many new friendships were made.
The Christening of ‘Flo’s Inspiration’
The Florence Armstrong Trust granted sufficient funds to enable Clarence Valley Dragons Abreast to purchase a 10 seater boat. We already had a big boat but as a young, developing club, we didn’t always have the numbers necessary to take the boat out.
The 10 seater boat was a great idea and since it’s purchase, training sessions have never been cancelled due to lack of numbers.
As a thank you, club members invited Members of the Trust, the Maclean & Lower Clarence RSL and Steve Cansdell MP, to the formal christening ceremony in February 2009. We named our little boat “Flo’s Inspiration”.
Florence Ellen Armstrong (Nee Rogers), and her husband Bruce lived in Yamba for over thirty years. Bruce served in the RAAF and Florence, a fine looking young woman, was a motor driver in the WAAF. Both were very involved in the RSL. After Bruce died, Florence was left with no children or immediate family. Nearing her death, in 2005 she persuaded Alan Stanborough and Daniel Butt, solicitor, to be a trustee for her estate. Flo left her entire estate in a trust account, with instructions for the interest to be distributed to various local charitable beneficiaries within the Clarence area. The beneficiaries must demonstrate high morals and values, similar to the RSL. The distribution of funds is carried out on the anniversary of her death.
This last year two of our members lost their battle with cancer so a remembrance ceremony for Di Groves and Beb Smith also took place.
Commemorative plaques for Di & Beb were placed in the boat, along with a plaque for Florence Armstrong. The Clarence Valley Dragons Abreast team will always remember them.
Local National MP. Steve Cansdell, a former signwriter, kindly provided design & signage for the boat, and today she proudly bears the name “FLO’S INSPIRATION”.
Canoe Odyssey
On Sunday 26 April, we participated in the Port of Yamba ‘Canoe Odyssey’. Flo’s Inspiration joined a number of kayaks and rowing boats to enjoy new scenery and meet new friends. The windy day and salty spray made for an exhilarating experience. The Port of Yamba members were especially welcoming with a morning tea of delicious home made scones jam & cream served on the beach.
Ord River
In early May, two of our members, Joy Hailes and Karen Kiely, joined the Dragons Abreast Outback Adventure in the Kimberleys, to undertake a 55km paddle along the Ord River.
Joining the crew in Darwin, they headed out to Kununurra to begin their outback adventure in the heart of the Kimberleys. Endeavouring to beat the heat of the day, the paddlers began their marathon journey at 5.00am in the cool of the morning. The River took them through magnificent scenery, with ancient rock formations, and stunning colours.
Clarence Valley Dragons Abreast coach Karen Kiely said, “It was the most exhilarating experience, we were so overawed by the magnificence of the scenery, we hardly noticed the distance we paddled.”
Yamba Relay for Life
We fielded a team in the Yamba Relay for Life in May. Members joined in the ‘Survivors Walk’ and the dusk Candle of Hope ceremony. It was a glorious day, extremely well organised and raised over $70,000 for the Cancer Council.
Come & Try Day Sunday 14 June, 9:00am
Sunday June 14 is our ‘Come & Try’ day. Everyone is welcome – breast cancer survivors and supporters, young (over 12 years) and mature, fit and not so fit, sporty and not so sporty, male and female – came and have a go.
We look forward to welcoming new people to experience a paddle on our beautiful Clarence River & enjoy a ‘cuppa’ and cake with us too.
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This page updated
May 25, 2009
