Racing for missing kids

A number of West Islanders, including a Riverdale High School contingent, delivered at the annual dragon boat race held to raise funds for the Quebec Missing Children’s Network (Enfant-Retour Québec).

About 400 rowers, on 18 teams, competed in the third annual dragon boat challenge on Sunday. “A record $104,621 was raised for our child recovery and prevention programs,” reported Enfant-Retour Québec director Pina Arcamone.

The top three qualifying teams thrilled spectators with a photo-finish ending where the Lake Louisa Loonies, led by Tom Ropeleski of Beaconsfield, were crowned dragon boat champions “We won the first year and came in second last year,” said Ropeleski of their winning efforts this year. “But it’s the first time we’re the top team in the amount raised.”

The Lake Louisa Loonies, made up exclusively of cottage dwellers who hail mostly from around Montreal but also from Ottawa and Kingston, raised about $10,400, Ropeleski said.

Ropeleski said he first started raising funds to aid missing kids in 2005 when he and Brian Potter, both John Rennie High School teachers at the time, cycled across Canada. From his involvement in the cycling trek, Ropeleski was encouraged to enter the dragon boat race and he decided to organize a team. Fellow Beaconsfield resident Karl Wockner has been a member of Lake Louisa Loonies from the start. “Tom really deserves great credit (for our team’s success),” Wockner said. “He has a huge amount of energy. He’s a great organizer and is very enthusiastic. He’s our biggest strength.”

Wockner said the team is proud of the amount they raised. “We had a great year.”

Meanwhile, Riverdale raised about $4,500 for the organization before setting their oars in the water in the Lachine Canal. The team from the Pierrefonds high school, made up of students and staff, held a car wash, sold homemade pies, bagged groceries at Super C and held a used book sale to raise funds over the past two months. A ‘dress down’ day was also held where students, for a $2 donation, could wear their regular clothes instead of the standard school uniform.

It is the first time that Riverdale entered the dragon boat race. They held two practises before Sunday’s race, where they finished in the top 10.

Riverdale’s team captain Patricia Donovan, a Grade 10 history teacher, said staff and students had an excellent time working together for the good cause, with the team made up of an equal mix of staff and students. “It was a lot of fun. The kids were really into it,” she said. “With the fundraiser, it really became a group project. We’re actually discussing have two teams next year,” she said, adding they hope to finish in the top three next year.

Grade 10 student C.J. Dupras, 16, said the dragon boat race was “a very unique experience. Everyone has to be in sync or the boat will slow down. I will definitely be back next year.”

Grade 11 student Rachelle Rose, 16, said fundraising was made easier because of the variety of events. “I like the way it was done, we did everything from a car wash to bagging groceries at Super C,” she said. “It made it easier than going door to door.”

Rose encourages students to take part next year if Riverdale enters the dragon boat race again but underlines the fact it is a fundraising initiative. <@Cp>Chronicle, Jonathan Dempsey<@$p>