BVA Rotary Club gears up for 5th annual regatta
The fundraising event will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the boat launch area of Cedar Creek Park.
For the MVI
The Belle Vernon Area Rotary Club is ready for its annual Regatta on the Yough this weekend.
Set for Sunday, the fifth annual event is an expanded and improved version of last year’s event. The main event sponsor is AllDry Services of Rostraver/Fay-West. The regatta, slated for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. will be held at the boat launch area of Cedar Creek Park in Rostraver Township.
A Paddle Parade to be held in the river adjacent to the event site will encourage participants to dress up their water craft (canoe, kayak, SUP or inflatable) to the best of their imagination and compete for prizes, with $300 cash going to the best decorated entry. Prizes will also be awarded for second and third places.
Printable Paddle Parade forms are available at www.bvarotary.com, where a link is available for online registration until Thursday.
Registration is $15 and includes a T-shirt. On-site registration is welcome, but the desired size of T-shirt cannot be guaranteed.
Also returning this year is the popular Kids Zone, designed for children ages 12 and younger, where participation is free and prizes are plentiful.
Raingutter ducky races, temporary tattoos, marshmallow golf and more will be offered, and will be supervised by Rotarians and Interact Club members from Belle Vernon Area High School.
Kids Zone sponsors are cfsbank, Coen Markets and PNC Bank.
In addition to the Ducky Derby Race, featuring more than 600 duckies, local businesses will sponsor super-sized rubber ducks in their own Great Company Duck Race. This group of ducks will also be voted on for “Best in Show.” This year, more than 50 company ducks are entered in the competition.
Brand new this year is the Rotary Blue Duck Race, featuring jumbo-blue ducks sponsored by area Rotary Clubs who will share in the proceeds from the race.
West Meeting Center of West Elizabeth will be offering the popular “Ducky Diner,” featuring all the summer favorites, hamburgers, hot dogs and more. Beedles Ice Cream Truck will be serving up frozen treats. Music will be provided by D.J. Jerry J.
The Collinsburg VFD Water Rescue Team will provide safety, demonstrations, and free rides.
Event co-chairs Deb Keefer and Tom Yoder and their regatta committee said they are grateful for the enthusiasm for the event and generosity from area businesses to support this major Rotary fundraising effort. The club funds scholarships to Belle Vernon and Frazier students, supports food banks, libraries, first responders, veterans’ projects, beautification efforts, families in need and more.
Last year the Belle Vernon Area Rotary Club handed out more than $30,000 to local nonprofits and individuals.
“The weather forecast looks great, and we are looking forward to a fun day on the Yough while we raise dollars for all of our many worthy projects at Rotary,” said Deb Keefer In addition to All Dry Services, many local businesses serve as major sponsors, including “1st Mate” sponsors C. Harper Auto, PNC Bank and cfsbank. “2nd Mate” sponsors for the event are AGiRepair Inc., BeeGraphix, Coen Markets, Corleone’s Bar and Grill, Fayette Legacy Group of Janney Montgomery Scott, OSPTA, Perryopolis Auto Auction, Riverside Insurance Group, Somerset Trust, Huntington Bank, and Valley First Federal Community Credit Union.
Go to www.bvarotary. com and Facebook/BVARotary to see the club’s projects and links to all regatta information, including Paddle Parade registration.
