Monthly Archives: June 2005

Gim Wong well recieved in Winnipeg for his “Ride for Redress”

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Here's the latest update on Gim Wong's progress in Winnipeg from Yew Lee, via Sid Tan.

FYI:

Trailer Troubles on The Outskirts of Winnipeg

I just spoke to Gim Wong.

Gim said he and his son Jeffrey had an “unbelievable reception” last night

at the Winnipeg Cultural Centre. Their hosts provided them with a very

comfortable night at the Holiday Inn ˇ a big change from sleeping in the

trailer ˇ and found them a place to park their van and trailer. Dr. Du and

the Chinese community were very generous with their hospitality. Many

community members approached Gim and said that they were very impressed with

his undertaking to ride across Canada on his motorcycle to raise awareness

about the head tax issue.

The press conference this morning was great. There were speakers from the

Ukranian, Jewish and Chinese communities.

As they left Winnipeg, the frame on their trailer snapped in half, causing

the trailer to collapse in the middle. Gim says that the roads were very bad

in Saskatchewan with potholes the size of kitchen sinks…perhaps the cause

of this breakage. Luckily, Gim was speaking to a CBC reporter, Aldo, who

referred them to a welding shop not too far away. So as we spoke on the

telephone, Gim was having his trailer repaired.

Gim hopes to get on the road in a couple of hours and cover at least 200

kilometers this afternoon., which will bring him to Kenora, Ontario where he

will visit the Ho Ho Restaurant. The stop after that will be Dryden,

Ontario, a pulp and paper town that also has a Ho Ho Restaurant. I will be

calling the newspapers in each of those towns.

Gim says he feels tired, but he sounds cheerful and very resolved to make it

to Ottawa, where he will end his journey.

That's all for now folks.

Yew Lee

Fantastic Weekend for Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team!

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The Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team had a very exciting and full dragon boat weekend.

Our weekend activities included:


1) Being featured on CBC Newsworld live national television,

Good reports from the interview… Toronto CBC Newsworld Produce
Hilary Walker called it “Awesome!” I talked with reporter Andrew via
earphone and microphone. None of the dragon boat team standing behind
me could hear the questions I was being asked, so I was re-stating the
questions, as I answered them. We were able to demonstrate enthusiasm
for dragon boating, excitement for multiculturalism, show off our
decorated paddles and our kilts. We were also able to introduce
both  Bear Kilts sponsor rep Peggy Watkins (Bear's wife), and our
Roxy Nightclub sponsor rep Tanya Romanuk – both are paddlers on our
team.





2) Racing for medals in the D division final,

Our team is a combination of brand new rookies and seasoned
veterans who make having fun a priority. I was hoping that we would be
good enough to move up to Rec C, but we were solidly in Rec D as we
again competed in the Rec D finals. But once  again… not strong
enough to win a medal. Saturday seeding races are tough, as there is no
chance of beating Comp or Rec A/B teams… This is certainly
disheartening to Rec D/E teams. But on Sunday, our semi-final race as
very exciting, as we were one of 3 teams surging together towards the
finish line. We were 3rd by 18/100ths of a second – giving us the
fastest 3rd place team finish for the wild card spot in the Red D
Final. Our new chant was “We LOVE Gemini Boats on Sundays”, following
our disappointing first race on Saturday in a Gemini. We posted one of
our best times at 2:34, and finished 7th out of 9 teams in the Rec D medal final.




3) Winning the Hon. David C. Lam Award for being “the team that best represents the multicultural spirit of the festival”

This Award is amazing. The Dragon Boat Festival was founded to help
promote multiculturalism through hosting dragon boat racing. It is a
great honour for the team and our efforts in promoting
multiculturalism. I have previously won this award with my Celebration
Team in 2000. In 2002, I revamped the team and renamed it Gung Haggis
Fat Choy, to have a stronger tie-in to the Robbie Burns Dinner that is
the team's major fundraising event. The focus for the team also became
multiculturalism, as we continue to attend a tour/lesson in the Dr. Sun
Yat Sen Garden/Park, have multicultural dinners, and for the first time
– wear actual kilts on dragon boat weekend, instead of tartan wraps. I
have never before in one day been asked so many times, what is worn
beneath the kilt – nor had so many women trying to peek under the kilt
– in the beer garden – no less.



4) hosting “the Sunday night party to be at”?

We are very grateful to The Roxy for hosting a Apres-Paddling
Party. We gave out 300 FREE tickets on the dragon boat site to teams we
knew and liked. Each ticket gave Free Admission + one Free drink. It
was great to have the Gung Haggis team paddlers relax, dance and
socialize – especially our rookie paddlers as we induct them into the
dragon boat season culture. It was great to see old friends from Wasabi
and Kai 'iKai'Ka join us, as well as new friends from San Francisco
Dragon
Warriors.

We hit the dance floor to the Eagles “Life in the Fast Lane”
with Wasabi and Gung Haggis paddlers. Later my friend Suzi from Wasabi
Team Huge, grabbed my hand and said “Toddish, they're playing our song”
as the houseband Midnight Ramblers launced into a cover of Johnny Cash's “Ring of Fire”.
Photographer Friend Ray Shum, who was paddling with CBC Wave Catchers,
showed up and took some pictures, which I will post here later….



This was a lot of fun for me – personally! It makes me so glad to be able to just focus on one team, and not be coaching 3 teams. We had a wonderful group of
people who were all on board for the same goal – enjoy the experience.

Organizing a dragon boat is always a lot of work. But the real
reward comes in knowing people's appreciation, and seeing the
development of people in
both their paddling ability and as human beings. I have a lot of help
with this team. Coaching and team development from Bob, organization
and support from
Deb, managerial from Peggy, sponsorshop from Tanya, team leadership and
support from Kristine, technical paddling from Craig, Race day warm-ups
from Karmen,

and most of all ENTHUSIASM from Gail, Pam, Natalie, Ashley, Grace,
Randa, Aislynn, Alf, Carl, Ernest, Daming, Dan, Joe, Marlene, Manfred,
Ian and Doug!

It is truly a compliment to the team, that Manfred, Ian and Karmen
– all coaches and team leaders in their own right and boats – give high
praises to both the
Gung Haggis Fat Choy team and its leaders, and they still say they had
such a great time. We look forward to joining them at Harrison Lake on
July 16th, for
their inaugural Fraser Valley Dragon Boat Festival.

Congratulations everybody!

Party was good last night… Paddlers from Wasabi, Shibumi, Kai
Ikaika – all from Portland, Dragon Warriors from San Francisco,
PH&N Horny Goats, Drunkin' Dragons, Nestors, all from Vancouver….

This wednesday… the general feeling is we need a rest from dragon
boating…. maybe in the absence of paddling…. I will suggest
relaxing in a whirlpool jacuzzi… 
waterslides / wave pool anybody?

Next race is July 9/10 SeaVancouver Festival followed by July 16
Fraser Valley DBF @ Harrison Lake Sept 4/5 Vancouver International
Taiwanese DB Race

Optional races will be:

Vernon BC

July 23/24 – on Kalamalka Lake

San Franciso

August 27/28 – Treasure Island in the middle of San

Francisco Bay… 10th Anniversary races…

Paddles up!

Todd