Cable network to film dragon boat event

By Mick Burke

Wednesday, June 2, 2004 10:59 PM CDT

RACINE - The Discovery Channel will be here next month filming at the Great Midwest Dragon Boat Festival, for a new fall program called Monster Nation.

The dragon boat festival, a first for Racine, will be held July 9 and 10, with all races July 10, at the lakefront south of Myers Park. The event is being sponsored by Racine Rotary West.

The Discovery Channel, found on Time Warner cable channel 41, has announced it will film two aspects of the dragon boat festival as it goes around the country filming for the fall launch of Monster Nation. A film crew will follow a dragon boat race team.

It will also film a segment on "Draco the Dragonator," which Rotary West has arranged to be part of the festival. Draco is a fire-breathing mechanical creature that stands 35 feet tall and stretches to an overall length of 45 feet.

"We are really excited to have Draco and the Discovery Channel help us kick off the first Great Midwest Dragon Boat Festival," said event Chairman Rick Granite. "We hope more teams will join us in the excitement of dragon boat racing."

Brent Washlake, associate producer for Monster Nation, said, "The heart of the show is a celebration of the unbridled spirit of the rugged individual, the out-of-the-box thinker and the folks who dance to the beat of a different drummer."

The show will cover stories of one-of-a kind dwellings, bizarre or beautiful vehicles, wonderfully strange outsider art, and unique landscape designs.

Discovery Channel is also home of Monster Garage and Monster House, which have showcased people around the country who used their ingenuity to come up with their own "monster" creations.

In a related announcement, Rotary West President Keith Heck announced that the festival's beneficiary. He said the festival will provide money for the purchase of a dragon boat for All Saints Healthcare System cancer survivors.

"The physical activity of dragon boat paddling is particularly beneficial for breast cancer survivors," he said. "In addition, group activities, like a group of people out for a few hours in a dragon boat paddling, can provide all cancer survivors with the kind of team and support building opportunities that improve the mental and emotional outlook for people dealing with cancer in any form."

With the recent developments, Rotary West has extended the registration date for teams to June 15. Information and registration forms are available at the Web site: midwestdragonboatfestival .com.

Individuals who are not yet part of a team can sign up also, as some teams are looking for people. They can indicate their interest via the Web site or call (262) 632-0530.

Anyone with a potential topic for Monster Nation can contact the show at: monsternation@origprod .com

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