News from the Gunnel

For this weekend only, LARD will have on water practices only.  There will be no land training either day. 

Reason? 

The coaches will be running a paddling clinic for the Los Angeles Pink Dragons on Saturday.

On Sunday all of the coaches and some of our paddlers will be participating in the Chinatown Firecracker run. 

Will has agreed to run practice on Sunday.  Thanks, Will!

Next weekend is the official start of the LARD's 2010 season.

Here's the schedule:

With the official start of the 2010 race season right around the corner (February 20), we're seeing the team's excitement at our off season weekend practices.  I hope to see more and more of  you at practice as the week's progress.

Because of new SCDBC regulations, we need your help in responding as quickly as you can to the team evites that are going out at the beginning of each week.  Please respond to these evites by Wednesday afternoon so we can notify SCDBC of our boat needs for the upcoming weekend.  The sooner you can "nail down" your weekend plans, the better we will be able to get the team out on the water in a timely fashion.

If you don't receive an evite by Tuesday, please email me or any of the other coaches.

Thanks,

Scott

We have our insurance policy and are now allowed to practice on the water if and only if you have signed the new waivers for the insurance company.  If you have not signed one, you will not be allowed to paddle on the water.

Speaking of paddling on the water, there will be practice this weekend!

Saturdays are still at 9am, but our Sunday schedule has been changed for this year.

Sunday practices are now at 7:30am.

There are new attendance requirements by the SCDBC (the fine group that rents us boat time).  Be sure to checkin to have your attendance taken so we can remain in compliance with these new SCDBC rules.

See you out on the water!

Thank you's to everyone who assisted with the LARD Sale.  These volunteer events are critical fundraising events to continue our mission to promote dragonboating.

Don't forget this weekend is our annual meeting for members to vote for your next year's board members.

These are the requirements to be able to vote:
paid 2009 membership fees
signed all your waivers
signed the code of conduct.
If you have any question on these items, check the website for your status or email the captains.

Dress Code:
Guests wearing the following items will NOT be admitted: Tennis shoes, work boots, ripped and/or oversized, cargo, or baggy jeans, revealing clothing including exposed undergarments and bare midriffs, tank tops, or sports attire such as jogging suits or jerseys, bandanas, bandana-type head coverings, beanies, shorts, and sandals. Hats must be removed before entering. A blazer or collared shirt must be worn if blue jeans are worn.

ACCEPTABLE ATTIRE:
Button up collared shirts, slacks, khaki-style pants, blazers, dresses, dress shoes.

We have our yard sale coming up on the 7th of November. Please find time to help run the yard sale as well as donating (tax deductible) items for the sale. This is a great opportunity to clear out your garage. I know i have a stack of boxes of ju -- treasures to be sold this year.

If you have an account on the site, please check your email for instructions on how to signup for this event.

Have you ever had to explain to your friends, coworkers, family members, neighbors why you are walking all funny because of HPC? Or explain to them why you have to get up butt early on the weekends? Then get incredulous looks from them because it seems like you are speaking alien gibberish?

Well, this is the opportunity to show them instead of just telling them. Instead of the usual intense practice, we'll take it nice and easy around Naple Island. Afterwards, we'll be having lunch catered by L&L. $10 for LARD members, free for guests.

So please sign up ASAP so we'll know how many people to order for.

Chuck

Just think - after this weekend, you can sleep in guilt-free on weekends, paddle oc1 guilt-free, suck down that banana split guilt-free, spend some time with that neglected significant other, or whatever you desire. You deserve it. You trained hard, you represented LARD well.

BUT, we have one more weekend before you can sleep in. One more very important weekend. It's the weekend that can make or break our season - it can be either explained away with excuses or a glorious memory for all of us to enjoy. The choice is yours.

Our team demands your attention for one more weekend - your commitment for one more weekend - your heart for one more weekend and that will be it for this year.

It's time to execute. Every single stroke this weekend will be perfect. I know it. You know it. Be confident but not cocky.

I can't wait.

Let's write this ending.

~Scott

At the Long Beach Festival we announced the winner to our annual Paddle Art Contest. For those of you that didn't get a chance to hear about it, it's a contest that is sponsored by the Arthur Yeh Memorial Fund. This contest hopes to promote the two things that my brother was passionate about; his aspirations to become an artist and dragon boating, recognized by his dedication to this team (10 years). This contest is open to anyone from high school to college age and requires the contestant to submit a piece of art that represents LARD's mission statement. The winner of this contest has to transfer his/her artwork to a paddle and as a prize receives a carbon fiber. This year's winner is Rachelle Wong (pictured below), a member of Phil's Dragonauts. We hope to make this an annual contest, so all you young'ins get ready to draw!

Left to right: Alex Yeh (brother), Megan Yeh (sister), Rachelle Wong (2009 Winner), Phil Sun (Director)

Rachelle's winning artwork.

//And a special shout out goes out to Deborah and Kim of MerlinGearUSA for their contribution of the Cd2 paddle to the community. Thanks from LARD and the Long Beach dragon boat community! - Lilly Chen//

Our team mates are up in Portland this weekend.  We are all eagerly awaiting photos and stories!  *hint hint*

K