Cancer victims honoured

DRAGON BOAT TEAMS PAY HOMAGE TO THE FALLEN AT ROSE CEREMONY

Intense competition, rainy weather and choppy waters gave way to gently floating rose petals and personal expressions of remembrance and grief Saturday as the ATB Financial Lethbridge Rotary Dragon Boat Festival held its annual Rose Ceremony on the shores of Henderson Lake.

All women dragon boat teams, many of whom were made up of breast cancer survivors or those who have lost family and friends to this terrible disease, began arriving one by one at the quay near the arch bridge.

After unloading from their boats, the crew members then crossed over the bridge under a line of crossed paddles and rose stems held aloft by cheering onlookers as they made their way over to the island facing toward the Henderson Lake concession stand.

As they took their places in a long line near the shore, the teams, some waving banners and flags, saluted the crowd with roses in their hands.

After listening to a beautiful live rendition of the classic 1979 ballad “The Rose,” dragon boat team members then knelt down by or stood over the lapping water of the lake shore. Some chose to pluck their roses a petal at a time and drop them gently into the water as an act of personal remembrance, while others threw their roses in joyfully to celebrate winning their own battle with cancer. Hugs were exchanged and tears were shed, while the supportive crowd cheered and applauded.

There are about 65 teams represented at this year’s Lethbridge Rotary Dragon Boat Festival, some from as far away as British Columbia or Montana.

The three-day Dragon Boat Festival continues today.

Herald photo by Tim Kalinowski The Rose Ceremony to remember cancer victims who have died is staged at Henderson Lake Saturday as part of the ATB Financial Lethbride Rotary Dragonboat festival. Despite rainy weather this year, it was still a poignant and beautiful moment.