Butt of a good joke, or a bad pun

The cause was the main attraction for 2,000 or so paddlers who raised both money and spirits during the 12th annual Dragon Boat Festival.

Most would know someone affected by breast cancer. A co-worker whose mother survived treatment, an aunt who didn’t, a friend who went through the examination process before discovering she was in the clear . . .

They were out on Little Lake Saturday as members of dragon boat teams, helping raise more than $171,000 for of a new ultrasound machine at the Breast Assessment Centre. Organizers hope another $90,000 in pledges and donations will come in by the fall, when the final total for the year’s festival is traditionally announced. Hitting $260,000 would cover the machine’s full cost.

But while the cause is most important, the list of team names suggests the freedom to throw off inhibitions and be a little crazy also moves people to paddle.

It’s like going to a costume party. Make your costumed character wilder and more flamboyant than the “normal” you and you’ll be celebrated, not censured.

One all-women team call themselves Dragon ‘R’ Butts. Where else could 20 women come together under a slightly off- colour name that is both a sight gag and a pun? Plus, they get to show off how clever they are. (The name is apparently not a literal description, since Dragon ‘R’ Butts won the Ladies Championship.)

Then there are the Peterborough Pistillates, rhymes with “titillates.” But their name is more science lesson than peep show. A pistillate is a flower with only female reproductive parts (pistils, not stamens) so a hard charging all-female crew could be described as pistillating.

Pop culture references are popular. A team from City Hall christened themselves Blazing Paddles, recalling the classic takeoff on Hollywood westerns. Others suggest a certain modesty about a team’s paddling abilities – Carp Bait is one of the best.

But what there have to be are teams. The 88 entries this year is down slightly from past years and from the peak of 108. To keep things manageable organizers would like registration to end up in the mid-90s.

Both sexes are welcome, although no team name appears to have adopted a bisexual theme. A full mixed team of 20 paddlers can include as many as 14 men.

Think about it for next year. We’ll even donate a team name: Girls Just Want to Have Pun.