How it all started…

Randy and Lori Crow

After attending a dragon boat training camp with a Breast Cancer Survivor (BCS) team out of Washington, DC, Randy decided he wanted to start a BCS team in Charlotte. He purchased a boat, trailer, personal floatation devices (pfd) and paddles. Randy contacted organizations like Susan G. Komen and Carolina Breast Friends and asked them too send out blasts to potential paddlers in the breast cancer survivor community.

The first practice was held on March 28, 2009 at Ramsey Creek Park on Lake Norman. It was a very windy day and, with whitecaps soon the water, Randy decided the first practice would be in the boat on the trailer in the parking lot. He was not going to let a bunch of newbies take his new boat out in those conditions.

Originally, this team was forms just to participate in the Charlotte Asian Festival and Dragon Boat Race that year. Once that race was over, everyone on the team had had so much fun that the Healing Dragons was officially formed as an organization.