Dragons Abreast ACT annual challenge regatta

Each year Dragons Abreast ACT holds a major regatta during October for corporate and social teams, and 2007 was the biggest yet! An additional category was added - our medical partners, including radiation oncologists, staff from Clare Holland House (the hospice), Calvary Hospital, and the KiwiRoos, who had the best war cry yet heard!

Photos can be accessed from http://www.dragonsabreast.com.au/ACT/photos.htm

The women's final was won convincingly by Fernwood Tuggeranong in a time of 1.14.87, and they were awarded the Maggie Sharp Memorial prize.

The Medical Division was won by the KiwiRoos (Calvary Health Care) in a time of 1.08.41, and they were presented with the Sylvia Flaxman Award by John and Mandy Flaxman, husband and daughter of Sylvia.

The winners of the corporate division were the Oompah Loompahs (Disability Housing and Community Services) in a blistering time of 1.02.34. Brendan Smyth MLA presented the Pink Lady Shield.

The regatta takes place each year in Central Basin of Lake Burley Griffin, at Commonwealth Place, site of the International Flag Display, which forms a colourful backdrop to the spectacle.

Regional meetings

The Dragons Abreast Canberra group was happy to welcome representatives from Sydney, Penrith, Illawarra, Wagga Wagga and Albury on Saturday 8 September for a meeting to discuss ideas on the future of Dragons Abreast Australia. What a wonderful group of women, led by our National Coordinator, Michelle Hanton! Ideas were put forward, and will be expanded upon by other regional groups at meetings to be held throughout Australia.
Abreast in Australia 2007 is our major focus right now, but with the input of all 33 clubs around Australia, marvellous things are in store for Dragons Abreast for 2008.

COUNTDOWN TO BOOK LAUNCH!

Golly gosh - the days and weeks are running away from us all. Seems like an aeon ago since I last wrote!

I am delighted to report that Dragon Central is abuzz with activity as we prepare to launch 'A Dragon's Tale' - we are sooooo excited and it is very hard keeping it all under wraps when we want to shout from the rooftops how thrilled we are with the book. But we are all sworn to secrecy and even our Regional Reps have not seen it.

Here's a snap of me in the office (doesn't that sound grand - when actually it is a little tiny room with 3 computers and a wonderful group of volunteers!) - admiring the cover. The gold foil work looks sensational.

The first public launch is Darwin - of course! Cos that's where we began the whole thing - seems like a dream - all those years ago, when we didn't know the front of the boat from the back!We're also thrilled that Hog's Breath Cafe's in Canberra, Joondalup, Adelaide, Hobart, Melbourne and Caloundra have so generously agreed to host our launches on those cities. Pictured is Jo Parry (from our AIA Organising Committee) with Jo Kelly from Hog's Breath Caloundra and of course Pinky the Hoggies mascot!

Riverbend Bookshop in Bulimba is the site of our Brisbane launch scheduled for 4th Sept and the shop will also stock the book. YEE HA!

Port Lincoln are hosting their launch on 7th Sept - simultaneous with Canberra!

What an exciting time and even more thrilling is seeing all the preorders that we've received!

Thank you one and all for your support - this is YOUR story. Michelle

WHAT A DAY!

It's been an amazing day! Quite surreal really - tonight was the evening that the Dragon Walk of History went up on display for this first time.

What is it? The most incredible looong dragon display which documents - in pictures our story - from our start here in Darwin to what we are today. One side is dedicated to the national stuff and the other is comprised of 3 disks from each of our member groups, It is 32 metres long and just sensational.

A lady commented to me tonigh 'it brought back so many memories' - and she's right - every single picture tells a story. Each holds a special memory. I look at them and I am overwhelmed with the journey we have travelled.

Tonight was hosted by the NT Government and we are so grateful to them. Minister Lawrie officiated and her words were so kind to us - she is a long time friend of Dragons Abreast and really has a passion for our cause which began long before she was a parliamentarian. We were also so fortunate that the Patron of NT Breast Cancer Voice was able to sneak away from her duties at Government House and join us - Ms Nerys Evans - a stauch supporter. This photo shows from L to R - Jane Aagaard MLA whose role is Speaker of the House, Minister Delia Lawrie, me and Ms Nerys Evans, Patron NT Breast Cancer Voice.

We are indebted to all our members across Australia for their incredible support and participation with this - most of all to Judy Smith and Pauline Tauscke from Dragons Abreast NT for working for hours on bringing it all to life!

Some of you have given feedback about the blog and would like to be able to comment on line - we did allow that at the begining but within a day had someone put an inappopriate link - so we now no longer allow that. However if you would like to make a comment please feel free to email to contact@dragonsabreast.com.au and we will make sure it is passed on and if appropriate posted here.

Michelle

HOPEFULLY ON THE RIGHT DATE!

Righto - it is now Monday afternoon in Darwin. I am writing and publishing immediately so we can hopefully get on track. Bet you are all having a giggle at my IT (not!) savvy!

It's Darwin Cup Day today - so a public holiday here - but Dragon Central is a centre of activity! No trips to the horse race tracks for these busy folks. Bonny came in to help and get packed for the next stages of my dash around Australia - I am off on Thursday to Brisbane and Sydney.

My meeting in Sydney will be with our major sponsor - EcoPoint Myall Shores Resort - I always look forward to a face to face catch up with all our sponsors. This meeting will be in the Sydney boardroom and not the gorgeous venue of Myall Shores Resort! I've attached a photo of our last trip there. It shows Bonny - the admin whizz, myself, Anna and Jan on the ferry to the resort. As you can see it was brilliant sunshine and some were game to wear short sleeves! Check out http://www.ecopoint.com.au/ - there are some great Hot Deals! Wish I could sneak away more often as it really is a wonderful, restful spot - but it is full steam ahead now till after October.

On the national front of DAA we are very excited about a whole bunch of other initiatives that I'll keep you abreast of as they develop! Bye for now!
Michelle

NEWS FROM NATIONAL OFFICE

Well I don't know what I have done with this blog - as I just posted something I started the other day but never finished and it came up as posted on the day I drafted it! Please forgive my ineptness with this! I will get better!!

You will notice a new look to the website - it is a work in progress but we hope you will like it! I've been remiss in writing here - but of course the secret is that I must put it into my diary so I set aside time each day - no matter how busy we are.

As I went for my Saturday morning usually I walk with our wonderful registrar Lyn - but she could not make it, so I was alone. Not chattering as we walked gave me a little thinking time - and I need that occasionally as things are so busy here at the moment. It is all most exciting as we head towards Abreast in Australia and the release of our book A Dragon's Tale.

As I passed by the cliffs at East Point, overlooking the beautiful, peaceful waters, complete with sailing boats bobbing about, I reflected on how luck I am. I have been very fortunate to be able to represent so many fantastic women from all over Australia and have a great team that works with me - all volunteers and each and everyone is just amazing!
Michelle

What a shock when I went to the home page today and found my face staring back at me! Jan has been hard at work on her 2 weeks off.

This blogging business is most interesting! I have learnt a tad more - well - it will be sensational as we can use it as a means to update all on AIA events and local coordinators and regional reps will be able to post their bits and pieces here of local news that folks might be interested in - all very instant and fast!

I was delighted when a friend came around brandishing a copy of the Senior News - a Centrelink publication and there on the front page was a beaming Pam - from our group in Sydney - what a great photo and a lovely mention of Dragons Abreast too!

Bulletin 13 went out last night and that has been very well received judging by the responses that have come into the Post Office today.
Michelle

Welcome to Dragons Abreast Australia blog

Good morning!
Jan Skorich - our clever webmaster decided that it would be a great idea for DAA to have a blog - so much happens all the time and it is often hard to keep everyone in the loop. SO as part of our revamp and move into the world of technology - she has set up this blog for me!
Please bear with me as I learn all about blogging!
I plan to write here frequently so you can be updated on our happenings - as Coordinators and Regional Reps. The newsletters and official correspondence will still come out via email so you can forward to your members. This is more of a frequent communication tool!
I have returned from the week at EcoPoint Myall Shores Resort - which was sensational as always - to a mass of correspondence which I am slowly plowing through. Amazing how things pile up so quickly! Michelle