Tantramar Regional High School students will hit the water at Jones Lake today (Friday) as they take part once again in the Greater Moncton Dragon Boat Festival.
Tantramar will have nine boats competing in this year’s high school event, not only hoping to bring home the trophy again this year but also to recapture their title of highest fundraising school. The school has already announced it has hit the $50,000 mark through this year’s fundraising efforts and anticipates that total could reach even higher before the races get under way this afternoon.
TRHS has competed in the Dragon Boat festival since its very beginnings in 2006, when the races featured three schools in five boats. This year’s races will see 14 schools competing in 48 boats.
In the two decades Tantramar has been participating, it has been named the top fundraising school 14 times. This year, fundraising included everything from car washes to bingo nights, to silent auctions to gift basket raffles, to cake walks and much more. It also included partnerships with several local businesses, who offered a portion of sales proceeds to the school’s efforts.
Sixty per cent of the total funds raised goes to the Lions Sick Children’s Funds, while the remaining 40 per cent goes to local charities chosen by the students.
Races get under way today at 3 pm and are located at Jones Lake behind Hillcrest School.
