Kaiser Permanente San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival: Selected Team Profiles
October 3, 2008
Abraham Lincoln High School
Abraham Lincoln High Dragon Boat has been around for over a decade, training young minds and spirits to engage in the sport of dragon boating. Although we are based in San Francisco, we have had the privilege to compete with many other teams outside the Bay Area. This team is bound together by a great extent of unity, commitment to each other and the common goal to achieve greatness. This year, we’ve been especially efficient at wearing out paddles and exhausting PFDs, and we’re definitely going to bring the results of our hard work to TI. We’re ready.
Blind Ambition
Blind Ambition, America’s First Blind Dragon Boat Team, is here to promote the abilities of the blind or visually impaired in a competitive environment through paddle sports. We are looking forward to seeing our friends on this 3rd trip to San Francisco. The initial intent of Blind Ambition was to introduce blind or visually impaired individuals to the sport of dragon boating. Since forming in 2002, Blind Ambition has been recognized as a powerful team in the dragon boating community. The members are bound together by a strong competitive drive to win, and the desire to break the social and physical barriers attributed to blindness.
Cal Paddling Bears
As Berkeley students, we are as fierce on the water as we are in the classroom. We may be one of the smaller teams racing, but we make up for our size with fierceness and determination. In our five years of racing experience, the Paddling Bears of Cal have experienced the elation of hoisting championship trophies and the anguish of being on the wrong end of photo finishes, but throughout these ups and downs, we build strong, supportive and spirited relationships among each other. We hope to improve upon our past performances and achieve even greater success this year. Go Bears!
California Pacific Medical Center
The California Pacific Medical Center Dragonflies team includes nurses, dieticians, lab technicians and researchers, as well as administrative, financial services, IT and communications staff. We are proud to support and participate in this celebration of the multi-cultural community that we serve. At California Pacific Medical Center, we believe in the power of medicine. But we also believe that medicine alone is only part of the solution. That’s why we look intently at each individual case and treat the whole person, not just the illness because medicine can transform a body. But going beyond medicine can transform a life.
*****More on Dragon Boat Festival:*****
http://www.asianweek.com/category/special-section/
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Davis Racing Dragons
We are TeamDRD, the Davis Racing Dragons. Based on the campus of UC Davis, a couple of dragon-boating students started the group in Spring 2004 in order to continue the sport and recruit then-inexperienced Aggie paddlers to form the first dragon boat team in Davis. That same year, they competed and placed in the Long Beach Dragon Boat Tournament as our debut to the dragon boat world. Ever since then, we have participated in all the racing events that were offered in the Bay Area and continue to place ourselves as one of the top college teams in Northern California.
Deloitte Dragons
Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, whose subsidiaries are among the nation’s leading professional services firms, provides audit, tax, consulting and financial advisory services through just over 30,000 people in the U.S. Known as an employer of choice for innovative human resources programs, we are dedicated to helping our clients and people excel. Deloitte & Touche USA is the U.S. member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and services are provided by its subsidiaries, including Deloitte & Touche LLP, Deloitte Consulting LLP and Deloitte Tax LLP.
Health Dragons-San Francisco
The Health Dragons are composed of physician members of the Chinese Community Health Care Association, staff of Chinese Hospital and its families. We are committed to providing quality and ethnically sensitive healthcare to the Chinese community of San Francisco. Our team is excited and proud to participate in the tradition of dragon boating.
Independence High School
This is Independence High School’s first year of dragon boat racing. Our first-ever race at the Paddle for Life Dragon Boat Festival in Oakland was a smashing success, as Independence took first place in the race’s high-school division. Independence High School is a very big and diverse high school located on the east side of San Jose. Over eighty different nationalities are represented within a population of 4,000 students. Independence High School’s dragon boat racing team is led by its officers Vincent Flores, Adrian Reyes, Glenn-Tito Mamuric, Isela Cardoza and its advisor John Herrera.
KP Dragons
Who are we? Kaiser Permanente!!! What do we stand for? BROCCOLI!!! KP Dragons are paddlers who understand the importance of being healthy, being fit and being happy. We are a group of spirited KP employees who proudly embrace the role as ambassadors of Kaiser Permanente. As the original KP Dragons, the team represents the diverse community we work, serve and live in. We are not only about Pilates and broccoli or about Band-Aids and blood pressures. We are about lasting friendships, food, fun and meeting new challenges. As KP Dragons, we paddle and THRIVE…
KPMG
KPMG’s team consists of employees from our San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Sacramento offices. Entering our 7th year of participation in the festival, we use our accounting and auditing skills to make quick work of the competition. A big thanks to the following people for making this event meaningful and demonstrating our commitment to diversity and community involvement: Debbie Messemer, office managing partner; Dean Kamahele and Yukimasa Kitano, APIN Partner Champions, KPMG’s diversity network group for Asian Pacific Islanders (APIN); Team Captain Melinda; and APIN members Alanna, Cristina, Minny and Lauren. Audit ‘em!
KTSF Dragon Eaters
We’re in it to win it! Having come within a heartbeat of second place at last year’s races, the KTSF Dragon Eaters are determined to “devour” the competition and take first place in this year’s amateur division! The team, comprised of KTSF employees and its die-hard friends, reflects the diversity of the audience KTSF-TV serves. Broadcasting in 12 languages, KTSF Television is the largest Asian-language broadcast station in the United States. Established in 1976, KTSF is an independent, full-power television station providing news and entertainment programming to over 2.75 million television households.
Lowell High School Dragon Boat
Coaches: Brian Danforth, Deb Mah, John Yu, Victoria Chau, Stef Sam and David Yang. Team Coordinator: May Choi. 2008 marks our 11th year in the CDBA fall classic. Our three-crew team is looking forward to continuing a proud tradition in 2008-09 as one of America’s top single-school youth teams. Big Red-C, our third crew, features our youngest paddlers, most of whom will be racing for the first time at TI. Our top crews, the Cardinal Crewzers and the Red Tide, are more experienced, with both crews having competed in Vancouver back in June. Once the Youth Races get underway, be sure to cheer nice and loud for Lowell!
Lucky Dragons
Lucky Dragons are associates formed from the San Francisco, Daly City and Pacifica Lucky Stores. This team raced in the past as an Albertsons team and is very excited to return as a “Lucky Dragon” team.
Mills-Peninsula Health Services
The Mills-Peninsula Dragon Boat team is comprised of diverse employees, each promoting healthy living in our community as well as within our workplace. A proud sponsor of the Dragon Boat Festival, we come together to paddle for fun and friendship, reaching out to each other to learn teamwork, timing and paddling technique. Our group represents a cross-section of areas within our organization but shares a common goal of improving the health of our community. Mills-Peninsula is a member of the Sutter Health family, Northern California’s most extensive non-profit network of physicians.
MUD Dragons
What do you get when you team up individuals with diverse backgrounds, interests and athletic ability from East Bay Municipal Utility District’s (EBMUD’s) workforce? You get the MUD DRAGONS! In 2008, two dragon boats — Fresh Water and Waste Water — will draw power from the dynamic energy and spirit of WATER! EBMUD’s mission is to provide reliable, high-quality services for our customers, to exercise responsible stewardship over the natural resources with which we are entrusted and to protect the environment for future generations. MUD DRAGONS answer to the call, “H2rOw!”
Paddle Past Cancer
Members of Team Paddle Past Cancer have survived cancer, are currently undergoing treatment or are caregivers or supporters of loved ones who have cancer. Leading active lives, these individuals inspire the world to open their minds and hearts and to believe in all things possible. For more information, please check out paddlepastcancer.org or contact Jenn Eng at 415-465-0085.
Panda Express-Team Panda
Our Panda Express associates throughout the Bay Area have united together to form Team Panda! Our team is excited to be able to participate in the San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival! Although our team has mastered our mission to deliver exceptional Asian dining experiences in our kitchen, we are ready to take on the challenge of showing off our paddling skills during the race on the water. We look forward to seeing you at one of the Panda Express locations nearest you and want to wish you all the best of luck during the race! Let’s wok & ROW!
San Francisco Rainbow Koi
San Francisco Rainbow Koi formed in 2004 as California’s first and only lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) dragon boat team. In 2005, Jennifer Eng began coaching this enthusiastic team who transformed from a novice to recreational crew, whose focus is to increase the visibility of LGBT athletes through the exciting sport of dragon boating. For more information please check out sfrainbowkoi.org or email Jenn at jeng1030@yahoo.com
Self-Help for the Elderly
Self-Help for the Elderly (SHE) Paddling Tigers is a dedicated and enthusiastic team, made up of present and past SHE employees, our friends and family members. SHE is a non-profit community agency helping to improve the quality of life of older adults. We paddle to show our support of SHE and to raise awareness about the needs of the elderly in the Bay Area. Of course, we also paddle to have fun! What we lack in experience, we make up for in spirit!
SFFD Fire Dragons
The SFFD Fire Dragons has been a proud supporter of the CDBA since its first event along the Embarcadero in 1997. Our team is comprised of firefighters, family and friends. We are sponsored by the Asian Firefighters Association and our Local 798 Union. We are greatful to be a LOUD part of this community event. The three Ts to our strategy are: timing, technique and TEAMWORK. It also helps that we have Captain Ed Moy cooking us a traditional firehouse meal to give us energy throughout our races! Welcome back, Nick. You left us in good hands, but we missed you!
St. Ignatius College Prep Wildcats
The St. Ignatius Wildcats return to the waters of Treasure Island for the 10th time with an enthusiastic crew made up of the members of SI’s Asian Students Coalition. Our ASC club strives to create a diverse yet unified community, sharing our culture through dragon boat and other activities such as the Chinese New Year’s Parade. Under the guidance of our coach, Curtis Wong, and moderator, Ms. Grace Curcio, we have been able to paddle our way to victory in the past years, even winning our first gold medal in Division C last year. We proudly identify ourselves as a passionate and successful team, ready to once again represent the SI spirit.
St. Mary’s Mercy Dragons
The Mercy Dragons team from the St. Mary’s Medical Center family includes a diverse group of physicians, staff and family members. Annually encouraged by the Asian Physicians Advisory Committee and named after our founding Sisters of Mercy, the Mercy Dragons crew is propelled by the same energetic spirit that brought the Sisters across the Atlantic 150 years ago. St. Mary’s Medical Center has long been committed to the communities it serves and is proud to continue that tradition by sponsoring the 13th Annual San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival. Get in, get better and get going at St. Mary’s Medical Center.
Stanford Dragons
The Stanford Dragons is a novice dragon boat team comprised of an enthusiastic and dedicated group of men and women who are Stanford alumni, students/staff and affiliates. We have competed since 1999 and won our Novice Division in 2004. We believe in camaraderie, staying fit and going the extra mile. Our goal is bringing people together from different backgrounds to work together as a team. Thanks to the support of our team coaches and captains, we’re looking forward to a spirited competition in 2008. Go Stanford!
Team DPW
Team DPW participates in the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival to take on the fierce competition that all the teams are bringing to the water. Though we have only been around for three years, our participation in multiple festivals throughout the year has given us the experience and fortitude to fight for gold. Thank you to the California Dragon Boat Association for their commitment to putting together a well-organized and exciting festival. Many thanks also to Lightwave who has graciously hosted Team DPW each year, making our annual trip to San Francisco fun and memorable.
Team On Lok
The small and yet tenacious Team On Lok represents an organization that has cared for seniors in the San Francisco area for more than 36 years. Our team brings the strength, character and spirit gained from working with the oldest and wisest of our community. As always, we will give our best and grow stronger as the race goes on.
Washington High School
Washington High School is proud to be competing in our 12th year. With about 100 paddlers, we have the biggest team in both numbers and spirit. We are enthusiastically led by stupendous coaches, Bryan Wong, Jadene Wong, Russell Wadbrook, Leslie Loui, Ed Iovino and Ross Britt and managed by faculty sponsors, Alan Layug and Dan Yee. We would like to thank our awesome parents, especially the Fujimoto, Lam and Quach families, for their continued support and delicious food. Washington High School has two crews that will compete this year, led by Joyce Lam and Dominic Pedruco. We are proud eagles. WASH HOUSE!!!
Wells Fargo AquaBeasts
Wells Fargo & Company is the fifth largest financial services company in the U.S. and a member of the Fortune 50. Thanks to its ongoing team member focus, Wells Fargo has been recognized as one of the “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” and “Top Ten Companies for Asian Americans” by DiversityInc. For more information, visit wellsfargo.com. Team captains Charlie Chang and Angie Yip wish to thank Community Banking-SF Bay Region, Credit Services Diversity Council, Internet Services Technology Group, the Wells Fargo Foundation and our team of volunteers for their support. The team looks forward to racing for gold.
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