By Marly Rusoff
Special to The Island News
Cancer had stolen my teammates’ mastery of their bodies. But the DragonBoat had restored our hope as the rulers of our lives. We were learning that perfect harmony can be made out of broken things and broken people. It would be the lesson of our lives. — From ‘The Final Victory,’ by Charleston DragonBoater and author Roger Jones
Come see the exciting power of team-building Saturday, June 29 at the dramatically beautiful Beaufort DragonBoat Race Day in downtown Beaufort where the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park becomes the site of the largest and most colorful event created to support the nonprofit DragonBoat Beaufort.
On this inspirational day men and women of all ages, many of them cancer survivors, compete as teams in the 2,000-year-old Chinese sport of dragon boat paddling. Bring the family. Attendance is free thanks to the many corporate sponsors.
Competing and attending this year with his Charleston team is debut novelist, real estate developer, cancer survivor and paddler Roger Jones.
“There is a reason this is the fastest growing water sport in the world,” he said. “When the endorphins kick in, and all twenty of you in the boat are moving in sync, pushing “harder, faster, deeper” — the three-word mantra emblazoned on many a paddle – “you feel the power of teammates working together. It is an incredible feeling. For that period of time, you forget about cancer and you forget about being sick. There is a peace that comes over you. You know without a doubt that you are not alone.”
Everyone has been touched by cancer in some way. Some of the boats racing on Saturday will be filled with survivors or those who have a family member or loved one that is a survivor; some competitors are even now going through treatment.
“When the races are over and they paddlers climb out of the water — win, lose or draw — they will be exhausted but exhilarated,” says Jones. “I promise you; you will feel the love. I wrote “The Final Victory,” a novel inspired by true events, because I wanted to honor and share the stories of my extraordinary teammates, men and women who joined me in our race of and for our lives.”
Jones will be signing books at Beaufort DragonBoat Race Day from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at The Final Victory tent. Copies will be available there from the Beaufort Bookstore. Jones will donate $5 from every copy sold to the DragonBoat Beaufort nonprofit.
