The Dragons Have Been Tamed
Who Knew Dragons Were So Helpful
There is something quite calming about being on the lake at dawn, especially on a Saturday. The water seems to swallow up all the surrounding sounds and allows a clear mind. This calmness was exactly what we needed as we prepared our booth for the highly anticipated Rowan Chamber Dragon Boat Festival.
Go Big or Go Home
On Saturday, July 24th, the Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation had the privilege of joining the 7th annual Dragon Boat Festival in Salisbury, NC. The event started right at 9am EST with competitors giving their all for the race prelims, and with visitors already lining up at our booth to get Hep C tested. The festivals’ event planning team had Black Eyed Peas and Michael Jackson pumping out of the speakers while the chanting from the different boat teams echoed through the air. We had the chance to meet so many awesome locals and learn a lot about Rowan County. From meeting the owners of the Morgan Ridge Railwalk Brewery to the Program Manager of Families First NC, the crew at the festival could not be beat.
A Quick Finger Stick is all You Need
With the visitors of the festival instantly interested in getting their Hep C test done, we were thankful to have partnered with RAO Community Health, who actually performed the testing. Their knowledge and peaceful demeanor put any nervous visitor directly at ease. In our time at the festival, we were able to perform 45 tests and get a substantial amount of liver health information into the hands of many. We loved all the different teams who came to check out the booth in between their races and let us in on the different techniques they were using to try and win. A definite highlight of the day was that one of the teams who tested with us, ended up winning the competition and they came running back to our booth to show off their medals. It was a blast to get to celebrate with them!
Rowan, Never Change
Heading into the festival, we did not really know what to expect, I’m not even sure we all fully understood what a dragon boat was, but the event blew our expectations out of the water. The races were so enjoying to watch, the food trucks were second to none, and the crowd was full of energy. The Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation is looking forward to being back in 2022 and seeing you all again!