By Delayna Earley
The Island News
More than 700 paddlers and spectators braved the extreme heat on Saturday to compete in this year’s DragonBoat Race Day. Twenty-eight teams took to their boats on Saturday, June 28, to compete for glory, but also to raise money for a good cause.
The event, which was held at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort, raised more than $90,000 for the DragonBoat Beaufort Fund, beating the stated goal of $80,000, and the final tally is still being calculated.
the Dragon, as Terriann Ely hits the gong and Kaci Willis holds a microphone close to capture its sound, a
symbolic moment marking the start of the Dragon Boat Race Day on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at Henry
C. Chambers Waterfront Park. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
The funds raised are used to help support cancer patients who are undergoing treatment in Beaufort County and are struggling financially.
DragonBoat Race Day organizers Terri Ely-Wenrick and Kaci Willis said that “we as human beings in a community should collectively be together as one and lift each other up when we need lifting up or just help each other” because cancer is a non-discriminatory disease, which is why they raise the money to help as many as they can.
The annual event had a few new features; one was a special award given out in honor of the daughter-in-law of a DragonBoat Beaufort paddler who recently died from cancer.
The Kelsey Kup was awarded to the most spirited team.
The DragonBoat Beaufort team also developed a story about a Beaufort dragon to go along with a hunt that children participated in while attending Saturday’s event.
river as part of the Carnation Ceremony, a tribute honoring those who have survived cancer and
remembering those who have passed, at the Dragon Boat Race Day. Amber Hewitt/The Island News.
Children searched the park for glass hearts made by a member of the DragonBoat Beaufort team, and they were able to keep them.
Saturday’s event was the last major event to be held in Waterfront Park before the City of Beaufort announced that they would be closing a portion of the park nearest to the seawall due to safety issues.
“It wasn’t our fault,” joked Willis and Ely-Wenrick about the portion of the park closing.
Then, more seriously, they added that they were glad that they were allowed to still have the race day and that no one got hurt.
The Winners
Senior Division
1. Storm Surge
2. Paradise Paddlers
Cancer Survivor Team
1. JAX Thunder
2. JAX Flash
3. JAX Limitless
Community C Division
1. Beaufort Believers
2. Sea Witches
3. Weichart Warriors
Community B Division
1. JCB Diggin’ Dragons
2. Knights of Columbus Council 5056
3. Thunder Paddlers
Community A Division
1. Drachentoter
2. BMH Spittin’ Fireballs
3. Coosaw Point Fighting Squirrels
Fastest Community Team
1. Drachentoter
Fastest Mens Team
1. F3 Shockwaves
Highest Individual Fundraiser
Darlene McGrath
Most Money Raised by a Drummer
Sea Witches
Highest Fundraising Team
Knights of Columbus Council 5056
Kelsey Kup
Paradise Paddlers
Heartbeat of the County
F3 Shockwaves
Best T-shirt
Weichart Warriors
Best Decorated Tent
Beaufort Believers
Best Drummer Costume
Sea Witches
Special Shoutout for fabulous fundraising efforts
Team: Leadership Beaufort Alumni Hippsters
Team: Rack Attack
Individual: Richard Ronde of Knights of Columbus Council 5056
Delayna Earley, 2ho joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.
